James Costello

Jim was born April 14, 1930 in Greenbrier, Tennessee, the son of William Otto Costello and Mentie Lou Hall Costello. After the death of his mother when Jim was five, Otto married Mattie Allen. Mattie raised Jim and his brother, Cecil, as her own with seven more siblings. Mattie was instrumental in planting and nurturing Jim and his siblings' love for the Lord.

Jim attended Cohn High School but graduated from Lascassas High School in 1948. He went to work in Nashville and joined the National Guard. Jim transitioned from the National Guard to the Army before going to Seoul, South Korea during the Korean War. He obtained the rank of Sergeant First Class before being honorably discharged from the Army in 1954. Jim used the GI Bill to attend school at David Lipscomb College where he majored in Education. Jim later received a Masters of Education from Peabody College and in 1969 completed his Doctorate of Education at Indiana University.

Jim married Betty Jean Gilbert on December 19, 1952 in Nashville. Jim and Jean met while they were living at The Boys Home and The Girls Home, dormitory style housing provided by Central church of Christ in downtown Nashville for unmarried men and women. Jim and Jean dated for three months before getting married at The Girls Home on December 19, 1952. Jim and Jean were married for almost 42 years before her untimely death in a car accident in September 1994. Jim met Helen Louise Jones at a fundraising dinner for African Christian Schools in April 1995. Jim and Helen married at Vultee church of Christ on March 1, 1996. Married for 28 years, Jim and Helen enjoyed traveling including multiple trips to Honduras. Jim was doubly blessed to have 70 years of happy Christian marriages.

Jim learned the value of work at a young age. As a boy, Jim helped his dad in Otto’s side job as a handyman. A bicycle paper route was Jim’s first independent job where he developed mathematics skills, physical stamina, and people skills. Jim lived with his maternal aunt and uncle in Lascassas for the last two years of high school. He worked on their farm milking about 30 cows before and after school and helping out however he could. After high school, Jim worked at Nashville Shirt Shop while he lived at The Boys Home in downtown Nashville.

Jim’s professional career began as an elementary school teacher at Clemons Elementary in Nashville. He joined the staff at Lipscomb about 1960. He became a professor in the Education Department after completing his doctorate in 1969. Jim helped train thousands of students who became teachers and preachers all over the world. Jim retired from Lipscomb in 1996.

In addition to his teaching, Jim was a minister for the church of Christ. He began preaching in 1958 at Forest Home church of Christ in Franklin. Other congregations where Jim preached are: James Avenue, Worthington (Indiana), Highland Village (Indiana), New Hope, Millview, Peytonsville Road, Neeley’s Bend, and Lindsley Ave. After retiring from the pulpit, Jim taught the adult Bible class on Wednesday night at Green Hill for several years. While in the hospital just a month or so ago, nurses reported that Jim was quoting scripture and preaching.

After his service in the military, Jim enjoyed hunting, target shooting, and reloading ammunition. He coached the David Lipscomb High School Rifle Team for 25 years, and taught Hunter Safety classes to train younger generations on proper gun handling.

Jim was a member of many professional organizations like Phi Delta Kappa. He was a volunteer and Board member for Churches of Christ Disaster Relief, and supported many other good works like World Christian Broadcasting and African Christian Schools.

Remaining to cherish Jim’s memory are his wife of 28 years, Helen Jones Costello, his children: Tim (Karen) Costello, Anita (Alan) Raulston, Carol (John) Newton, Mike (Dawn) Costello; his grandchildren, Will (Sarah) Costello, Gil (Liz) Costello, Danielle (Clayton) Wood, Luke (Avery) Costello; Amy (Bob) Matthews; Colby (Taylor) Costello, Tanner Costello, Hayley Costello, Meg (Sawyer) Hall; his great-grandchildren: Spencer, Sully, Callum, Zane, Finnegan Costello; Emerson, Eloise, Penelope, Ruby Costello; Maggie, Wyatt, William, Lewis, Miles Wood; Zaida and Juniper Matthews; Liam and Nora Costello; his brothers: David (Sally) and Ray (Linda) Costello; his sisters: Mildred “Chummie” (Jim) Klingbyll, Patricia Hall, and Donna (Mark) Copas. Jim has several nieces, nephews, great-nieces and great-nephews. One of Jim’s greatest joys in life was his family, immediate and extended.

Preceding Jim in death are his first wife, Jean Gilbert Costello; brother, Cecil Costello; sisters: Norma Jean Adcock and Faye Costello; granddaughter: Hannah Newton.

Visitation will be held August 23, 2024 at Woodlawn Funeral Home in Nashville, TN from 12:30-2:30 p.m. The service will begin at 2:30 p.m. with Dave Thomley conducting the service and Dwight Lanham leading congregational singing. Interment will be in Woodlawn Cemetery. Military Honors will be conducted. The family would like to thank the Rolling Hills church of Christ in Spring Hill for their love and support for Jim and Helen over the last two and a half years and especially in the last month.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations in memory of Jim may be directed to:

• Churches of Christ Disaster Relief at 615-833-0888 or disasterreliefeffort.org.

• African Christian Schools at 615-542-6282 or africanchristianschools.org.