John Charles Custer, Sr., of Annapolis died April 25 after a lengthy illness.

He was born in Baltimore, MD and raised on the Magothy River in Arnold. He attended Severna Park High School where he was an accomplished athlete, playing both baseball and football. He played football in college and continued to play baseball and softball in men's amateur and semi-pro leagues for many years.
John was an avid sports fan; following all major sports and was a devoted fan of the Baltimore Colts and the Ravens; through his illness he still enjoyed Sunday games with his family and friends. By far, his favorite thing in life was spending time with his son; coaching him and watching him play soccer and excel in academics at Towson University.

John was a mentor and endeared by his family and many friends; he will be sorely missed. His generosity, wisdom, engaging personality, and his ability to overcome obstacles will always be remembered.


John retired from Northrup Grumman in 2005; he was member of the Salaried Employee's Association and served on the Whispering Woods Community Association.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Arthur and Irma Custer. He is survived by his beloved wife Katherine and his son John, Jr, his sister Janet Temple, his brother Arthur Custer, his niece Janet Helferstay, his sister-in-law Sheila Jones, and his nephew Kevin Burke. He will also be missed by his companion, his Boxer, Casey, and cherished family friends, Josh Reimer and Carlos Morales.


Visitation will be held at Barranco & Sons, P. A. Severna Park Funeral Home, 495 Ritchie Highway Severna Park, MD 21146 from 2 pm - 4 pm and 6 pm- 8 pm on Wednesday, April 27 and Thursday April 28 and a Memorial Service will also be held there on May 2 at 11 AM. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Hospice of the Chesapeake at hospicechesapeake.org.