John Brendel Karsten

1936 - 2024

John Brendel Karsten

February 28, 1936 - November 24, 2024

Carmichael, California - John was born in San Jose, CA to Johann Geritt Karsten and Juliette Brendel Karsten. He grew up in Modesto and moved to Santa Cruz for his senior year of high school, where he helped his basketball team win the league championship and advance to the Tournament of Champions in Berkeley.

After high school, John enlisted in the Marine Corps for three years, serving one year in Korea. Upon discharge, he played basketball at Monterey Peninsula College for Coach Pete Peletta and later attended California State University, Sacramento, where he earned a BA and played under Coach Ev Shelton. After graduation, Coach Shelton hired John as the freshman coach while he completed his master's degree.

John's first teaching job was at Don Julio Junior High School in North Highlands, CA, where he also coached the JV team at Highlands High School to three championships and a 68-4 record. In 1965, he became the first head basketball coach at Foothill High School, winning two championships and Coach of the Year honors before briefly stepping into an administrative role.

In 1970, John returned to coaching as an assistant at American River College (ARC) in Sacramento, eventually becoming head coach. He led ARC to three Valley Conference championships and state tournament appearances. John also founded the Sacramento Basketball Coaches Clinic, which he ran for 25 years.

John furthered his education by earning a second master's degree in counseling at CSUS, becoming a full-time counselor at ARC in 1984, where he worked until retiring in 1998. He continued to serve as a part-time counselor and worked at numerous basketball camps and clinics. For 12 years, he was on the Northern California Basketball Conferences rating committee.

John married Vicki Vance in 1962. He is survived by Vicki, son Gary Karsten and wife Becky, daughter Julie Mendoza and husband Vince along with five grandchildren, Michael and Kayla Karsten, and Hailey, Sydney, and Amanda Mendoza and numerous cousins, nieces, nephews, and friends. John and Vicki traveled extensively, especially enjoying trips to Hawaii and Europe with their family.

John received several prestigious Hall of Fame honors, including inductions into the Sacramento Chamber of Commerce Hall of Fame (1979), Christian Brothers Lasalle Club Coaches Hall of Fame (2007), Community College Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame (2011), CSU Sacramento Basketball Hall of Fame (2012), Foothill High School Coaches Hall of Fame (2015), and the Monterey Peninsula College Hall of Fame (2019).

A dedicated member of Saint George's Episcopal Church for over 50 years, John led the scholarship program for graduating high school students for 37 years.

A service will be held on Saturday, January 11 at 2 p.m. at St. Michael's Episcopal Church, 2140 Mission Ave., Carmichael, CA. John deeply cared for others and will be missed by many. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the John Karsten Memorial Fund at St. George's Church, 5600 Winding Way, Carmichael, CA 95608, or to a charity of your choice.