Andy Koster

Andy Koster

Andy Koster, beloved husband, father and grandfather, went to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ at the age of 61 on Tuesday, April 29, 2008, at his home in Green Valley, Ariz.
  Andy is survived by his wife of 40 years, Joyce; daughter Heidi (Myke) Fay of Canyon Country, Calif.; son Marc (Jennifer) Koster of Simi Valley, Calif.; daughter Krista (Danny) Lee of Simi Valley, Calif.; five grandchildren: Morgan, Cory, Madison and Molli Fay and Jack Lee; his mother, Jennie Koster of Lynden; brother John (Marlaine) Koster; sister Vicki Chambers; aunts Grace Gelderloos and Clara Koster; father- and mother-in-law Carmi and Jeannine King; sisters-in-law Linda (Mike) Vail and Carmielle (Keith) Cox; and 10 nieces and nephews.
  Andy was preceded in death by his father Ralph Koster; brother-in-law Jack Chambers; and numerous aunts and uncles.
  Andy was born in Bellingham on March 4, 1947. He graduated from Lynden High School and Western Washington State College and served four years in the U.S. Air Force. He married Joyce, his childhood sweetheart, on June 15, 1968, in Lynden. Andy retired in 2002 after 40 years with Safeway in the Seattle division, serving half of that time as district manager in the Lynn-wood/Everett area.
  He had resided in Green Valley, Ariz., since his retirement. His favorite activities included hiking, camping, bird watching, gardening, visiting Disneyland with his family, talking and making friends with everyone he met. Andy enjoyed hiking the Grand Canyon with his brother John, 104 miles in the English Cotswolds with his son Marc, and weekly hikes with the Green Valley Hiking Club. Andy was an active member of his local church his entire life and was presently a member of the Green Valley Evangelical Free Church.
  Burial will be at 12:15 p.m. on Thursday, May 8, in Monumenta Cemetery in Lynden followed by funeral services at 1 p.m. in Grace Baptist Fellowship, 338 North Park St., Lynden.
  His family has requested that memorials in Andy’s name be made to Gideon’s International, P.O. Box 140800, Nashville, TN 37214.
  You are invited to share your memories of Andy by signing the online guest book at www.gilliesfuneralhome.com.
  Services are under the care of Gillies Funeral Home & Cremation Services of Lynden.