Beverly Sue DeCoster

Born in Honolulu, Bev grew up in Dayton, Ohio. She graduated from Belmont High School in 1976 and the University of Dayton in 1980 with a BS in Chemistry. Bev taught in Bowdoin College’s chemistry laboratories for more than 30 years.

Bev loved her family and the outdoors, especially our national parks and state parks. For decades she led trips across the US and Canada with family and friends. We spent so many nights together building campfires and looking across the dark skies for shooting stars. We walked tens of thousands of miles together along beaches, through forests, and over mountains. Bev was the first in her family to graduate from college and many would follow. In the lab Bev was generous with her time and her laughter was constant, brightening the late nights working alongside her best students. She nurtured the patience and insight to explain even the most complex mathematical and chemical problems in just minutes and she always had the biggest smile when she was sure you caught on. Bev will be remembered for the hours and years we spent together, her inspiring spirit, kindness, hard work and everything she taught us.

She was preceded in death by her mother and father, Joan (Hildebrand) & Robert Gantner.

She is survived by her son, Jordan DeCoster, brothers, Mark & Paul Gantner, cousins Greg & Darold Gantner, Sandee Treptow, and Kari Ellis, nieces Sabrina & Megan Gantner, nephews Tim, Josh, & Bob Gantner, aunts Dorothy & Saundra Gantner and Patty Hildebrand, and many more family, friends, and thousands of students.

Join family and friends celebrating Bev’s life:

12pm on April 12th

Hope Lutheran Church

500 Hickory Street, Dayton, Ohio

Her family will receive friends from 11am to noon

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the National Park Foundation in Bev’s memory: https://www.nationalparks.org/