John Desanto

Rev. John DeSanto, 78, died peacefully in his sleep on Thursday, April 10, 2014. He is now with his Savior and his beloved Judy.Affectionately known as Pastor John, he was born of Italian immigrants in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on August 4, 1935. His parents Michael DeSanto and Jenny Corrado came over separately, and met in the United States. He was the youngest of 7 boys and 1 sister.He grew up in South Philly, playing stick ball and hiding from his brothers. He was industrious and sensitive. He attended Houghton College in New York. Leaving the East Coast for Kentucky, he went Louisville Presbyterian Theological Seminary where he completed his studies and entered the pastorate.While interning at a Presbyterian church in Grayville, Illinois, he met a young Baptist nurse, Judy Crocker, who became his bride on January 3, 1960. After their first daughter was born in 1961, he became pastor in Vincennes, Indiana, at Bethany Presbyterian Church. While in Vincennes, John and Judy had two more daughters.During his time in Vincennes, John left Bethany, and with his friend Ray Harris, flew and drove around southern Indiana and Illinois, leading revival and tent meetings, and running youth camps at Camp Arthur.In 1972, he moved his family to Evansville, Indiana, where he pastored two churches in a yoked ministry, First Avenue Presbyterian and Parke Memorial Presbyterian. In 1975, he became Chaplain at the School of the Ozarks outside of Branson, Missouri. He touched many students in his time there, and enjoyed his time in the academic setting. In 1979, the family moved again, this time to Montrose, Colorado, to Montrose United Presbyterian Church (now First Presbyterian). During his time in Montrose, the church doubled in size and built a new building on the outside of town, with the street in front of the church named after him.In the late 80s, as empty nesters, John and Judy moved to Fresno, California, to another Presbyterian Church. One of the things that he did while there was run a soup kitchen ministry out of his garage for the immigrants attending the ESL school across the street. From California, they moved back to Indiana, pastoring churches in Attica and Huntington, and returning to Vincennes in early 2002. He came back to Bethany Presbyterian, retiring in 2011 but kept preaching when asked.John was a man of God, touching the lives of many people during his life. He ministered with a sense of compassion and humility. He had a great heart for the downtrodden and homeless, buying meals for the hungry. With a heart for the youth of Vincennes, he founded a ministry called Higher Bound that ministers to Jr. High age kids.His sense of humor and joke-telling was notorious, but he was serious about his Savior. He was beloved by many people. He had his routine, early mornings at the Hart Street McDonald's and then a second round at 9:30. He even performed the marriage for two of his 6 a.m. friends in the McDonald's because that is where they met.When his beloved Judy died in 2012, he never really recovered. He longed to be with her and to go to heaven.He is survived by his daughters, Jean DeSanto Campbell, Joanna DeSanto Lobbezoo, and Janice DeSanto McKaughan, and their husbands, Jeff Campbell, Mark Lobbezoo and Don McKaughan, his two brothers, Tony DeSanto and Tom DeSanto, three grandchildren, Zachary Campbell, Dorian (& Jeff) Satterlee, and Tempest Campbell, two great-grandchildren, Lily and Taj Satterlee, our his son in Christ and family friend, Danny Pierson.Donations should be directed to Higher Bound, Inc., a ministry to the junior high children which provides guidance, meals and a place to be a kid. The address for Higher Bound is 300 N. 5th Street, Vincennes, IN. 47591(812) 886-5503A Celebration of Life will take place at Bethany Presbyterian Church on Tuesday, April 15th, 2014 at 2 p.m.702 N 8th St, Vincennes, IN 47591(812) 882-5398 Online condolences may be made at www.goodwinfamilyfh.com