John Aaron Wooster

John “Aaron” Wooster found his peace on the morning of August 3, 2018, at his home in Daytona Beach, Florida. Aaron was born at San Jacinto Methodist Hospital at 1:19 p.m. on Friday, November 26, 1971, in Baytown, Texas. Following his profession of faith, Aaron was baptized on May 6, 1979, at the Alliance Bible Church of Baytown. He graduated from Ross S. Sterling High School in 1990 and attended Lee College in Baytown and the University of St. Thomas in Houston. He was the Office Manager for Meyerland Animal Clinic in Houston for three years before relocating to Orlando, Florida in 1995. Aaron worked at Walt Disney World as a bartender/server for 17 years, primarily at the ESPN Sports Club.

He was preceded in death by his father, Gerald S. “Jerry” Wooster and grandparents, Frances and Doris Wooster, Bill and Maudine Marth, and Aline Burton Pfeiffer. Survivors include his mother and step-father, Pam and Jimmy Burton of Lipan; brother, Michael Wooster of Baytown; step-mother, Barbara Wooster of Baytown; and step-brothers, Cameron Kolaja of Houston and Colton Kolaja of Seabrook. In addition to these are Aaron’s aunt and uncle, Terri and William Beardmore of Georgetown; cousins, Ryan and Colleen Beardmore and their children, Ayven, Eli and Makaila of Round Rock and Melissa and Robert McGuire and their children, Melanie and Sydney Ryan of Roanoke. Extended family include Terry and Darla Burton, Frankie and Jamie Pasillas, all of Baytown and Beverly and David Porter, Skyler White, Rex, Megan and Jackson Gupton; Whitney, Chris, Wyatt, Jase and Cole Medrano of Dayton, and numerous other family members and friends.

His family will receive friends at Navarre Funeral Home on Saturday, August 11, 2018, beginning at 9:30 a.m. with the funeral service to follow at 10:30 a.m. with Rev. Dave Jirrels, Pastoral Care Minister at Second Baptist Church, officiating. Burial will follow at Cedarcrest Cemetery.

Serving as pallbearers will be Michael Wooster, Robert McGuire, Ryan Beardmore, Frankie Pasillas, Rex Gupton, and Chris Medrano.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that memorial donations be made to the Baytown Historical Preservation Association P.O. Box 1244 Baytown, Texas 77522-1244.

To view the online obituary or to post a tribute for the family, go to www.navarrefuneralhome.com

Arrangements are under the direction and personal care of Navarre Funeral Home & Cremation Services, 2444 Rollingbrook Dr., Baytown, TX, 77521 (281) 422-8111.

Aaron’s story

If those of you that are here today were asked to describe your relationship to Aaron, the narratives would be so diverse, and would depend on your interaction with him. If you were part of Aaron’s family, a neighbor, a friend, or maybe you didn’t even know Aaron, you are a friend of a family member that came here today to support them.

Here is a brief narrative of my relationship to Aaron as his Mom.

We were expecting our second child in November of 1971. There were no sonograms or tests to determine the sex of a child. No “reveal” parties. For two weeks before my delivery date, every day was supposed to THE day. So, the day after Thanksgiving 1971, Aaron’s dad and grandfather decided to make a quick trip to check on the farm in Woodville. Both grandmothers’ went back to work and I dropped 4 year old Michael off at my grandmother’s house (Nannies’ house) and went in for another check-up at 10:30 pm. That led me directly across the street to San Jacinto Hospital and was told that “this baby is not going to wait for the other family members to show up! At 1:19 p.m., surprise, you have a son! John Aaron Wooster came in at 7 lbs 9 oz. and 19” in length and was named after his great-grandfather John L. Wooster of the pioneering Wooster family.

He was a happy baby. We survived the terrible twos which included little fits when he did not get his way. He would just lie down on the floor and roll and we would just ignore him or step over him until he was done and then he would pop up and go on about his business. He shadowed his big brother, Michael, usually causing Michael great distress. Aaron COULD NOT resist trying to distract Michael from whatever TV show or book he was reading. He just had to get Michael’s attention. However, Aaron was always Michael’s “go to” man. “Aaron, go get a cool whip bowl and top from Mother, go get a jar, go get a box.” Aaron had to ‘go get’ anything necessary to house whatever critter Michael had captured.

Aaron was baptized on May 6, 1979 at the Alliance Bible Church here in Baytown following his profession of faith in Jesus Christ as his personal Savior. Because of his age, our Pastor Fred McGarvey interviewed Aaron to ensure his understanding of his profession. A precious friend of mine shared this scripture with me this past Sunday evening. Luke 18:16b Suffer little children to come unto me, and forbid them not: for of such is the kingdom of God. Another friend shared that when she had been praying for us, the Lord spoke the word “whirlybirds”. That was the name of our church’s Wednesday night children’s group.

Aaron was smart, made good grades, and was in the National Honor Society in High School. He was talented. He played the trumpet in the Gentry Jr. High and Ross S. Sterling High School band. He played football in Jr. High #70. He was Vice-President of the Distributive Education Club of America. He participated in the summer stock of the Baytown Little Theater. He was out-going and had a large circle of friends. So many, I couldn’t keep up with them all. He’d be talking about someone and say “oh Mother, you remember so and so”, but I usually didn’t’.

He loved his grandparents and spending time with them or going camping with them when he was older. In the early years, he would leave for a sleepover with his grandparents; either Mimi and Pop or Grandmother and Grandfather and without exception, by bedtime we would get a call - Aaron’s ready to come home. I guess that’s why I never considered that he would ever leave Texas. When he was much older, I overheard a conversation with his 2nd cousin Jennifer, reminiscing about family reunions in Mason, Texas and realized that Aaron really didn’t mind being dragged out to central Texas in the middle of July like he had protested; he was recounting all of the fun they had!

Aaron graduated from Sterling in 1990 and went to the University of St. Thomas in Houston and then back to Lee College in Baytown where he pursued an Associate of Arts degree in Social Science and Business. He did not finish his degree program, but went to work at the Meyerland Animal Clinic as Office Manager. Oh, the stories that he would tell about his experience. The most bizarre was when he house sat for a client whose dog was on dialysis and had to have daily treatments!

Aaron decided to move to Florida in 1996 when a friend of his left Houston for a new job in Orlando. In a resume Aaron wrote in 2014, he summarized his 17 years at Walt Disney Word. Aaron said “I have always been in Customer Satisfaction careers. I thrive on the knowledge that I have exceeded the guests’ expectations and increased the excitement of a return visit. Working in Food and Beverage at Walt Disney World has given me the chance to excel in working in an environment with the highest standards of service, of which I go above and beyond”.

I know we all tend to show ourselves in the best light in a resume, but I know for a fact that his statements were true. A couple of years down the road, Aaron showed me his box of mementos; letters and cards written to him from visitors whom Aaron had served; many who were repeat customers, remember his birthday, asking what shift he would be on their next trip, even a letter from a young girl that was from Japan thanking him for her introduction to the states.

However, the reality of Aaron’s years in Florida is best expressed in an article I read from Rick Warren, pastor of Saddleback Church in California. Rick said he use to think that life was hills and valleys - you go through a dark time, than you go to the mountain top, back and forth. Rick said “I don’t believe that anymore”. Rather than life being hills and valleys, I believe that it’s kind of like two rails on a railroad track; and that at all times you can have something good and something bad in your life.

In January of 2014, following the passing of his dad in October of 2013, the years of struggling with the disease of alcoholism and its effects came to a head. Through the prayers of those who touched the throne of God and God’s intervention, Aaron, Jimmy, Terri, William and I started the trip back to Texas. Our journey was delayed with a massive ice storm that prevented us from traveling. But God used that delay for good in Aaron’s life. At the hotel we were staying in, actually stepping out to smoke in the middle of the storm, Aaron met a young man who had just completed a session in a rehab facility and who encouraged Aaron regarding the program he would be entering. Aaron spent the next 90 days in treatment at Summer Sky in Stephenville, Texas about 40 miles from our home in Lipan.

Through the next two years, our family and friends poured themselves into the support of Aaron in his treatment and recovery. Beginning with Jimmy, who gave himself up to participate in therapy sessions for issues that were from a time in Aaron’s life that Jimmy was not even a part of - what greater sacrifice and love than that? Following the completion of his program in Stephenville, Aaron moved to Austin when he continued his recovery in sober living housing; without a car, walking miles to the bus stop, working, and then walking the return trip home. Again, during this time, Terri and William, their children and their grandchildren whose names have already been mentioned, continued to support Aaron, spending time with him, even offering him the opportunity to come and live with them, providing him with unconditional love.

In the fall of 2016, encouraged by his friends, Aaron made the decision to return to Florida, relocating to Daytona Beach. He went back to work in a local restaurant in areas of retail, food and beverage. He bought a jeep and purchased a condo with a balcony overlooking the beach. We had an opportunity to visit him there and stayed in a room just two floors below his condo. On our last night, Aaron said “Mom, give me 10 minutes and then go out on your balcony.” He had slipped out onto the beach and when I stepped out on the balcony, he shot off all kinds of fireworks!” I love fireworks! A memory of my heart!

This past Christmas, Aaron joined us and traveled to Baytown where we celebrated with Jimmy’s family and Michael and then traveled on to Georgetown to be with my sister and her family. We had a chance to stop at Aaron’s “other” cousin’s restaurant - it’s a long story, but I’ll be glad to try to explain to anyone who is interested - and spend time with the Roquemore, Cathriner, and Coker families who lived next door to us on Bayou Blvd. They continue to be part of our extended family.

We thought that his recovery was complete, but the effects of this disease resulted in Aaron’s passing on that Friday, August 3, 2018.

I’ve read that when things happen to you, they become a part of your life’s message, a piece that has been added to the design. I have many friends who quilt. One of them recently showed me a quilt with a black background. It was striking because, you didn’t even focus on the background, and it only served to draw your eyes to the colors and pieces of the design. To me, it speaks of the pattern of Aaron’s life, both of the permissive and the perfect will of God. All of you who are here today as well as family and friends who could not come are also pieces of the design. It is the portrait of Aaron and it’s beautiful in God’s eyes and mine.