Obituary of Joan Marie Costin

Our beautiful Mother, Joan Marie Costin passed away peacefully in the early morning hours of October 21, 2018.  She was born July 12, 1930 in Washington, DC.  She grew up in Silver Spring, MD and started working as a clerk for the Central Intelligence Agency in her twenties where she met “her Marine”, her beloved late husband John P. Costin Jr., whom she was married to for 63 years. She is predeceased by her parents Jane and James C. Groves and her sister Sally King. Survived by her brother Richard Groves and his wife Beverly and sister Linda Gillespie and her husband John. She leaves six children, Karen Pressler (Felix), John Costin III, Patricia Staffa (Gary), James Costin, Kevin Costin Ret. NHPD (Anna) and Mary Murray (Tom). She also leaves nine grandchildren Robert Donahue (Michael), Michelle Nadeau (Dan), Brittany, Kelly, Colleen and Cristina Costin, Nicole Pressler, Kristin Nunez (Jeff), Joseph Pressler (Lauren) and three great-grandchildren Makayla, Caleb and Joseph,  and her sister-in- law Olive Costin and many nieces and nephews. After living in DC, Michigan and California she and her husband raised their family in Bethany, CT.  Joan enjoyed many years playing and lunching with the ladies of the Duck Pin Bowling League. She owned and operated the Bethany Wine Shop for 10 years. Eventually becoming snowbirds, John and Joan enjoyed many happy years with friends and family summering in Swampscott, MA and wintering in Newport Richey, FL where she a proud member of the “Nifty Niners” at the Timber Greens Golf Club. Joan loved and enjoyed her family immensely.  She was extremely patriotic to her country.  Joan was also always up for fun and enjoyed parties, music, dancing, warm weather and long walks. She was proud of her “southern roots” and could never get enough Maryland Crab Cakes. She spent the last year of her life at the Saybrook at Haddam in Connecticut close to her family keeping busy with many activities and receiving great care and assistance from the wonderful staff there.  Our family cannot thank the Saybrook at Haddam staff enough for the loving care they provided to our Mom. Visitation will be held on Thursday, October 25, 2018 from 9:00AM to 10:00AM at the Robinson, Wright & Weymer Funeral Home, 34 Main Street in Centerbrook. A Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 10:30AM at Our Lady of Sorrows Church, 14 Prospect Street in Essex. Committal services will be held in the Swampscott Cemetery, Essex Street in Swampscott, Massachusetts on Friday, October 26, 2018 at 11:00AM. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to the American Foundation for the Blind, Resource Development, 1401 S. Clark Street, Ste. 730, Arlington, VA 22202 or the Alzheimer’s Association, 225 N. Michigan Avenue, FL.17, Chicago, IL 60601. To share a memory of Joan or send a condolence to her family please visit www.rwwfh.com