Former Newport Beach YMCA director dies

Deirdre Newman

A one-time director of the Central Orange Coast YMCA in Newport Beach

died Saturday.

John Sumner Provost, 59, was described as a “true humanitarian” by his

sister-in-law, Janet Sederquist.

Mr. Provost died of heart disease.

He served as director of the YMCA in Newport Beach for six years until

1999.

He was born in Lima, Ohio, and played basketball and baseball at

Bowling Green State University. His athletic prowess impressed the New

York Yankees, which offered him a catching position. When a shoulder

injury sidelined him, he began working with the YMCA and stayed with the

organization for 33 years in Ohio, New York and California.

“He was terrific with people,” wife Carol said. “Everybody loved him.

He was a great personality and made everything fun. He liked to do for

people.”

After he retired from the YMCA in 1999, Mr. Provost became an avid

golfer and launched a second career of sorts as a professional singer,

crooning out golden oldies in a Mexican restaurant in his hometown of

Indio.

“He did Frank Sinatra better than Frank Sinatra,” Carol said. “He was

happy to be up there doing it.”

He is also survived by mother Janet, son Steven, daughters Beth

Trowbridge and Suzann LoCoco, son Brian Meister, and grandchildren Andrew

Provost and Jacqueline LoCoco.