Obituary of Katherine Lynn Costa – The State Journal-Register

August 31, 1954 – November 1, 2022.

Kathy Costa escaped her failing body on All Saints’ Day and is now spinning among the stars, finally freed from the constraints of gravity. As a girl she danced her “moonlight sonata” in the living room before bed, as an adult she brought the same exuberance to everything she did.

Kathy had an indomitable spirit that is not easily forgotten. She was a voracious reader and a proud member of the Mary Toddies Book Club, her shelves and desk filled with books whose diverse subjects and authors reflected the many facets of her great personality. She was an accomplished and creative gardener, embraced new adventures and threw eclectic parties that brought together family and a wide range of friends; some new, many for life.

Kathy was a natural salesperson. She started her career at WMAY and quickly moved to WTAX Radio in Springfield. She then joined her father’s team at Precision Products to become National Sales Manager. After that, she held various sales positions in Springfield.

Kathy was deeply influenced by the intellectual and pioneering spirit of her maternal grandmother Kate, whose quick wit and green thumb she greatly admired. She will be remembered for many things, including her garden and the flower arrangements she made of it, for her huge Christmas trees and her decorating style. But Kathy will be remembered above all for her generosity and devotion to her family and many friends, as well as for her Roman Catholic faith.

Kathy was born to Rosemary (Gauer) and James Costa on August 31, 1954 in Springfield, IL. She is a graduate of Sacred Heart Academy and St. Mary’s College, Notre Dame, IN.

Kathy was predeceased by her brother James J Costa, her brother-in-law Douglas Garofalo and her mother Rosemary Gauer Costa.

She is survived by her father James W. Costa, her partner Marty O’Brien, her daughter Angela Kelver (Bryan) Hall, her granddaughters Chloe, Stella and Vivian Hall, her sisters Carol (Richard) Kolhauser, Christine Garofalo and Sandy (Scott Marshall) Costa, and her nieces Kimberly (Benjamin) Lakin and Katherine Rose (Alexis DiGregorio) Thurston.

A memorial mass will be held at Christ the King Church on November 17 at 10:00 a.m., visitation at the church from 9:00 a.m. to 9:45 a.m. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Kathy’s name to Médecins Sans Frontières or the Human Rights Campaign.