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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

Obituary: Costello, Sr. M. Rose Theresa (Dorothy), Snjm

Age 96

COSTELLO, Sr. M. Rose Theresa (Dorothy) SNJM Dorothy Costello was born July 4, 1918, in Shelby, Montana.

She was the third child born to Thomas W. and Pauline Murray Costello.

Because her family moved frequently during her school years, she experienced several educational venues, but graduated from Our Lady of Lourdes Elementary School, and Holy Names Academy, both in Spokane.

Upon graduation from secondary school in 1936, Dorothy entered the novitiate of the Sisters of the Holy Names.

She professed her vows as Sister M. Rose Theresa in 1938, and began both her college work and her teaching career in parish schools in Oregon and Washington.

Her formal education earned her a B.S.

in Education from Marylhurst College and an M.A.

in Geography from the University of Minnesota.

Sister was partial to teaching seventh graders, and teachers.

Her interest and expertise in geography opened the door to opportunities for Sister to use her many gifts.

She authored the work book accompanying the fifth grade geography text published by McGraw-Hill, was invited to speak at conventions, and was runner-up for teacher of the year in Washington in 1967.

She was Social Studies consultant for elementary and secondary schools in Mesa during the time she was there caring for her mother.

She offered service in parishes during that time as well.

By 1990, the technology bug had found a home in the curious mind of Sister M. Rose Theresa, and she worked to learn to navigate the geography of computer intricacies right up to the Cloud in more recent years.

Assisting others to enjoy those possibilities was life-giving for her, as were using those skills in volunteer service in archives, places of outreach ministry and with her community.

Sister M. Rose Theresa recently celebrated her 75th Jubilee as a Sister of the Holy Names and her 96th birthday-her best ever!

She was able to reap the joys and benefits of her special gift of making and honoring connections with her family and with people she continued to meet every time she stepped out the door!

She was busier in her retirement than many active people are when working full time.

Some of the beneficiaries of her assistance were Women’s Hearth, Our Place Ecumenical Ministries, and the Fig Tree.

She was an avid spokesperson for justice, and politically active in working to achieve it.

She was a devoted apostle in sharing her faith and active in faith-sharing groups.

Her love of geography has, over her lifetime, grown to include our earthly planet, cyberspace, and her next life-for which she prepared every single day of her life.

Sister never did find time to acknowledge any failing health, and actually only experienced her final frailty for four days at the end of a week in which she participated in a retreat to encourage young women to think about religious life, a life for which she was most grateful.

Sister M. Rose Theresa died July 14, 2014, in Spokane.

She is the last of her siblings to die, and is survived by her religious Sisters and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Mass of Resurrection will be 10:00 a.m. on Friday, July 18, 2014, at Convent of the Holy Names.

Memorial gifts may be made to the Sisters of the Holy Names Retirement Fund, 2911 West Fort Wright Drive, Spokane, WA 99224.

Arrangements have been entrusted to: