Ronald Lynn Koteskey

On Tuesday, May 21, 2024,  Ronald Lynn Koteskey, loving husband, father, grandfather and great grandfather passed away at the age of 82. Ron was born on March 15, 1942 in Petoskey, Michigan to farmers Ron and Bessie Koteskey.  He attended Asbury College in Wilmore Kentucky, graduating in 1963 with a major in Psychology.  While a student at Asbury he met his wife, Bonita Rose Gill of Greenville, Pennsylvania,  and they were married in Michigan June 22, 1964. They then graduated from Wayne State University in Detroit, Michigan in 1967, Ron with a PhD in Experimental Psychology and Bonnie with an M Ed.  While in Michigan,  Keith was born.  They moved to Greenville, Illinois in 1967 for Ron to teach at Greenville College, and Cheryl was born there.

They moved to Wilmore, Kentucky in 1970 and they remained there the rest of their lives.  Ron began teaching at Asbury College, and Kent was born.  Ron began teaching psychology and developing a Christian Psychology.   He wrote many journal articles and presented papers at professional meetings. Also he made presentations to churches, schools, and other groups.   He wrote six books including Psychology from a Christian Perspective.  During much of that time psychology was frowned on by many Christians.

In 1989 Ron and Bonnie took a short-term mission trip to Brazil to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary.  That trip changed their lives.  Sensing that God wanted them to serve missionaries they contacted mission agencies.  All agencies could use Bonnie to teach children, but none of them wanted Ron to teach rats on their fields, so Ron went to the University of Kentucky in 1992 to become a Counseling Psychologist.   In 2002 Ron resigned from teaching at Asbury so they could help missionaries full-time.  In 2005 a former student created a website for Ron and he has served as the webmaster since.   Ron wrote 17 e-books for missionaries and they have downloaded hundreds of thousands of these.  In addition, he wrote 110 short brochures for missionaries, and they have downloaded millions of these. All books and brochures were free of charge.

Ron and Bonnie served missionaries on five continents.  Their favorite countries were Bolivia and Thailand.    They went only if the missionary (or missionaries) invited them, not if sent by an agency.  They never charged anything for their visits and raised funds for travel as missionaries do.  Ron and Bonnie also served people who lived in countries that had no missionaries.  His first website was “ missionarycare.com ” for people serving God who could  safely visit this website. Then he Ron created another website, “ crossculturalworkers.com ” which had the same content, but never mentioned anything related to “missions” or “missionaries.”  Ron and Bonnie traveled to these countries where these “teachers” were serving and they could visit his new website.  They did many reentry retreats with hundreds of missionaries, training sessions for first timers, counseled thousands of missionaries around the world.  They did these things personally as well as on Skype and Zoom, especially in later years.   They quit overseas travel in 2012.

He is survived by his wife Bonnie Koteskey , sons Keith Koteskey  (LeAnne) and Kent Koteskey (Amy) and his daughter Cheryl (Mike) Kannisto  and eight  grandchildren, Tyler (Hannah), Kristen, Geoffrey (Alex) , Katie (Derek), Molly  and Shelby Koteskey  and Miranda and James  Kannnisto and great grandson, Anthony.

Ron and Bonnie also kept in contact with their family, including children, siblings and grandchildren.  Every weekend they wrote the “Koteskey Times” with family news and sent copies to them via USPS, or e-mail.  This began soon after Kent graduated from Asbury and left Wilmore.  The largest room in their basement had large framed documents on the walls title “Koteskey Top Ten” starting in 1994 and continuing every year.  So the most important events of the family were on the walls.  At their family Christmas , Ron read the year’s “Koteskey Top Ten” and everyone listened to see if they were on it.  The second largest room in the basement had framed  pictures of the family on a wall every year since 2001.  Family was very important!

A memorial service will be held at Wilmore Free Methodist Church, 1200 Lexington Rd, Wilmore, KY on Friday, May 31st at 11:00 AM, with a greeting-of-friends beginning at 10:00 AM. The family suggests donations be made to Wilmore Free Methodist Church for missions and outreach.

This obituary was lovingly submitted by the Koteskey family.

The Hager & Cundiff Funeral Home would like to extend their deepest sympathy to the Koteskey family and friends. All arrangements are under the direction of Hager & Cundiff Funeral Home.