Gloria M. (Chiabai) Costello

Gloria Maureen (Chiabai) Costello, 89, of Plainfield, Ind., rose from our presence to join the Lord at 11:45 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 5. She was embraced by family and friends while hospitalized in her final days, including her husband of 66 years, John T. Costello (Jack). Together they raised six children well into adulthood -- John Timothy Costello Jr. (Tim, and Lisa Bannister Costello of West Lafayette, Ind.), Joseph Robert Costello (Bob, and Lesley Costello of Lewisburg, Tenn.), Colleen Ellen Brocious (and Brian Brocious of Wheaton, Ill.), Karen Elizabeth Daum (and Robert Douglas Daum of Plainfield), Patrick Costello (Patrick, and Sheri Costello of Arlington Heights, Ill.), and Maureen Erin Kaufman of Plainfield. Gloria especially loved and cared for her 17 grandchildren -- Sean and Verity Costello, Matthew, Patrick Joseph and Jake Brocious, Jonathon, Betsy and Brian Daum, Kathryn, Jack and Connor Costello, Eve and Amanda Vavilis and Christopher, Kierstan and Nicholas Kaufman and great grandson Ronan Kaufman. She also had nine nieces and nephews, including late namesake Gloria Chiabai Hauser, Christine (Peterson) and Douglas Nelson and Michael, Kathleen (Aspinwall), Bill, Ellen (Dobensky), Kevin and Jim Costello. Gloria was born Nov. 25, 1929, in Gary, Ind., to Louise and Vincent Chiabai, who had immigrated to Gary from Clastra, Italy. She was proud of her late father’s works as one of Gary’s pioneer contractors, particularly the city’s Memorial Auditorium, and her widowed mother lived to age 103. Gloria attended St. Mark’s School, Lew Wallace High School, Rosary College (Ill.) and Southern Illinois University and was a graduate of Purdue University, where she met Jack. They were married in Gary in 1953 and resided in Sparta and Benton in Illinois before moving to Plainfield in 1967. Gloria taught high school home economics and physical education at Coulterville, Ill., then devoted years to her family until working 10 years for the Internal Revenue Service. Gloria was a devout Roman Catholic, volunteering at each of her parishes, including religious instruction, school board, women’s club and Young at Heart offices for St. Susanna in Plainfield. She served for decades as secretary-treasurer for both the Home Economists’ Guild of Indianapolis and the Hendricks County Garden Club. She loved classical music, musicals, classic movies, home improvement and her granddoggies. She was preceded in death by her parents, Brothers William and Albert Chiabai, Sister Evelyn Nelson and their beloved spouses, Dona, Vie and Ray.

 Calling Hours will be on Monday, September 9, 2019 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. in St. Susanna Catholic Church, Plainfield, and also one hour prior to the service in the church.  Funeral mass will be Tuesday, September 10, 2019 at 11 a.m. with burial to follow in Maple Hill Cemetery, Plainfield. In lieu of flowers Memorial contributions can be made 

to St. Susanna Catholic Church 1210 East Main St. Plainfield, Indiana 46168.  Hall-Baker Funeral Home Plainfield is handling the arrangements.    

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