GUILFORD – John J. Carsten, 80, of Guilford, went home to be with the Lord Tuesday morning, Nov. 28, 2006 in the Chase Memorial Nursing Home of New Berlin.
The son of Joseph and Esther (Franz) Carsten, John was born in Wisconsin on April 21, 1926. He grew up in Wisconsin, attending the local schools, and would later return to Madison, Wisconsin to live with his uncle while he earned his bachelor’s degree in agriculture. Though John also attended the Baptist Bible Seminary in Johnson City for a year, he spent most of his life on the farm in Guilford, devoting himself to the dairy which supplied milk for his baking, and to the Deer Valley Farm health food business, a joint effort of Joseph Carsten and his two sons. Deer Valley specialized in the processing and distribution of health food products in the metropolitan New York area in addition to the stores in Cortland, Norwich, Oneonta, Syracuse, and Guilford. John was a partner in the business from its creation in 1948 until his retirement 51 years later in April of 1999 when the farm was sold. At that time, he and his wife Anita took a year to do the “statewide tour,” enjoying their travels throughout the United States in their RV.
On Sept. 16, 1950, in Oxford, John married Anita Ritchie. He is survived by his wife, Anita Carsten of Guilford; by his brothers: Dr. Verdi Carsten and wife Joan of Syracuse, and Robert Carsten and wife Lois of Florida; by his children: JoAnn Carsten of Hawaii, Steven Carsten of Denver, Colo.; Jean Madison and husband David of Norwich, Seth Carsten and wife Kathleen of Georgetown, June Decker and husband Mark of Davenport, Sharon Short and husband Robert of Otego, and Rebecca Wehking and husband Stanley of Elizabeth, Colo.; by 14 grandchildren: Kim, Kellie, Carrie, Angela, Amy, Zachary, Altiera, Travis, Ashley, Mariah, Logan, Adam, Brad, and Craig; and by his great granddaughter, Isis. Nieces, nephews, and cousins also survive.
Funeral services for John will be held at 11 a.m. Saturday from the Calvary Baptist Church of Norwich, with Rev. Brian Conover officiating. Interment will be in the Godfrey Cemetery of Guilford. Friends are invited to call at the Calvary Baptist Church on Sat. from 10 a.m. until the funeral service at 11.
John’s family has asked that memorial contributions be sent to the Calvary Baptist Church, 75 Calvary Drive, Norwich, NY 13815.
Arrangements are by the R.J. Fahy Funeral Home.