Obituary of Mary Lou Costello

Mary Lou Costello Mary Lou Costello, 85, passed away on February 10, 2007, leaving family and friends richer for having known her and poorer in her departure. Born Mary Mathalia, April 17, 1921, in Canastota, New York, she was one of eight children. Among her siblings, she is survived only by her dear sister, Theresa Ginney, of Canastota, New York. Having been raised in a large loving family during the Great Depression, Mary learned that laughter with family and friends is life's greatest joy. She was a woman without pretense. Mary moved to Rome, N.Y. in 1954 and was the devoted and loving wife of former welterweight boxing champion and Rome Sports Hall of Fame member, Casey "Cozy" Costello, who died in 1994. Of her late husband's seven brothers and sisters, she is survived only by her loving sister-in-law, Mary "Mowie" Alaimo and Mowie's husband, Gilo, of Rome. She was a woman of seemingly boundless energy, who was constantly in motion. She took up painting when she was seventy, loved it and was fairly good at it. She also started golfing when she was a senior citizen and was not good at it at all, but could have cared less. She learned that golf was a good walk enjoyed with a friend. Mary was generous and kind to a fault, though, underlying Mary's inherent generosity, was a scathing sense of humor, reveling in mimicking the idiosyncrasies of everyone she knew. She loved to laugh and to sing and the silence of her absence is deafening. Mary had two children and is survived by both. Daughter, Georgiann Clark, resides in Melbourne, Florida with her husband, Robert Clark; Mary's son, Mark Costello resides in Rochester, New York with his wife, Jennifer Jones, and the constant object of Mary's affections, their son and Mary's lone grandchild, Casey Costello. They all miss her dearly. Mary also takes her leave of many nieces, nephews, cousins and friends she loved in Rome, in Canastota and in places hither and yon. Mary additionally is survived by Gordon Bruno, who, following the death of her husband, Cozy, became her faithful friend, trusted sidekick and daily companion. Her door was always open and her heart always ready to welcome. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to Wuesthoff Brevard Hospice & Palliative Care, 8060 Spyglass Hill Road, Viera, FL 32940. Family and friends will be received at the Nicholas J. Bush Funeral Home, Inc., 218 West Court Street, Rome, New York on Friday, February 16, 2007 from 4:00 - 7:30 p.m. A funeral Mass will be celebrated at St. Paul's Catholic Church, 1807 Bedford Street, where Mary was a faithful member for many years. Services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Saturday, February 17, 2007. Burial will be in St. Peter's Cemetery. All in attendance are invited to join the family in celebrating and remembering Mary's colorful life at a reception at the Franklin Hotel following the funeral Mass.