Joan Taylor Costello
Joan Taylor Costello, 94, of Bellingham, WA died on March 23, 2022 in her home. She was born on May 24, 1927 in Chicago, IL to Herbert and Eloise (Latta) Taylor. Her family moved to Sacramento, CA where she graduated from Sacramento Community College before relocating to Crystal Lake, IL where she married John E. Costello on November 25, 1950. Her interests and curiosities were boundless, and she was just as happy playing piano with one of her children as she was fishing or collecting fossils, or playing sports, or canoeing in the wilderness, or using power tools. She loved the arts and traveling, and was a lifelong photographer, making her photographs into cards she would send to all her children, grandchildren, great grandchildren, and friends. In addition to Crystal Lake and Bellingham, WA, she spent 15 years in Somerset, IN and 15 years in Lutsen, MN.
She was preceded in death by her parents, husband and brother, Richard (Dick). Joan is survived by her children, John (Mary Jane Rehm) Costello, Timothy Costello, Patricia (George) Vurdelja, Robert (Diana Cristina Valente Marques) Costello, Nancy (Mike) Bonkowski, Richard (Maggie Spencer) Costello, Susan (Ben) Ridgway, and seven loving grandchildren, Lisa, Emily, Melissa, John, Anne, Tim, and Stewart, and twelve great-grandchildren. She will be remembered as a loyal and trusting friend, caretaker, devoted mother, adventurer, and creative, playful spirit. She loved a good laugh and she would laugh until her eyes welled with tears. She was welcoming and made everyone feel as though they belonged in her family, which included adding others to the brood, Carlos Paz de Araujo (Brazil), Thomas Faas (Illinois), and Hassan Byumvuhore (Rwanda). As a caretaker, she was always ready for the next mission to comfort and heal, and nothing was more important to her than the health and happiness of her family and friends.
Memories
From Carol Mayer
Wonderful tribute to an amazing woman who lived life to the fullest.
From Carlos A. Paz …
An extraordinary human being. A talented artist and gentle soul. I will never forget her. She was always kind and full of life. You could not believe her zest for life and her caring for others. I will never forget Mom Costello. Heaven gained a new Angel.
From Rita and John …
A highlight of my childhood was living next door to Aunt Joan, Uncle John and you cousins. Our two families had so much fun together - and Aunt Joan was a big part of that. I am so grateful that later, my husband and kids got to know her. Despite not having seen her with her grandchildren, I know that she was a super grandma by the way she interacted with our young kids. We all have such wonderful memories of our visits with your mom and dad. They were two incredible people and will live on in our hearts. Sending you our love, Rita, John, Mike and Liz
From Kathy Lenth
To my cousins....my condolences on the death of your mother. Aunt Joan was one of the most interesting & creative women I have known. She was definitely the fun Mom on the block. While most of my memories are those of her being a Mom during my childhood, I was amazed by some of her accomplishments as an adult. Most of these came from hearing of them through you over the years. Also, every year I looked forward to receiving her unique, photographed Christmas Cards and was so honored to stay on her Christmas list for years. I had the wonderful experience of getting a call "out of the blue" from her this past Fall as she wanted to pass some information on to me. We spent about an hour on the phone, chatting, recalling & laughing at some may things. It was such a delightful phone visit and opportunity to reconnect with her and hear all about what you guys have been up to. Love & prayers, Kathy Costello Lenth
From Marilou Palabr…
Aunt Joan was a remarkable human being. As a Filipina in law (I was married to her nephew Michael) she immediately made me feel welcome to the family when I met her for the first time in 1972. I felt a close affinity with her from the start: I loved her simple ways, her adventurous and creative nature. I don't think many in the family knew this but she really was my virtual “soulmate”, despite the fact that our interactions have been infrequent and far between, as we lived so far away from her. I so miss her and I want to tell the children that I share their loss. Aunt Joan, enjoy the company of Angels in God’s paradise.
From Carol Costello
A "Great" Aunt
I join with other family members to sing the praises of our Aunt Joan. While she was generationally not my great aunt, she was truly a "great" aunt to have. I always enjoyed her humor, generousity and creativity. As I child I knew I'd always be welcome in the Costello cousins home. When our parents took our baby brother to a warmer climate for several weeks one winter for his respitory issue, the younger kids were sent to live with family/friends and I was lucky enough to be housed with Aunt John and Uncle John's family. I was too young to have many specific memories of that time but my overall memory is one of happiness and warmth. I don't ever recall any anxiousness being separated from my family, which certainly speaks to the way in which I was lovingly welcomed. I saw a picture of her on a horse in some of the posted pictures, which reminded me of a trip to Colorado that I went on with the family. I don't know too many other parents of large families who would willingly take another child (a middle school one at that), on their family vacation driving cross country in a van. It was a wonderful vacation and definitely a highlight of my youth, thanks largely to Aunt Joan's sense of adventure and no nonsense way of handling anything that came her way. As an adult, I was continually amazed at her willingness to engage in a wide array of activites as well as her independence and hardiness even as she got older. Hers was truly a live well lived and should be an inspiration to us all.
Carol Costello (Hartinger)
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