Helen Agnes Jewel Costley

years. She was born Helen Agnes Jewel Bowman on February 18, 1932, to parents, John M. and

Pansy M. Bowman.

Helen was preceded in death by her husband Ralph Leland Costley, and her daughter Dr. Kandace

Costley Landreneau. She leaves behind her children, Karen Costley West, husband (Loren West), Keith Costley, wife (Cheryl Crusa Costley) and Dr.Kevin Costley; grandchildren, Amanda Costley Hunter, Christopher Selsor, Andrea Costley,Benjamin Costley, Victoria Costley Bartolotta, Kandace Lee Landreneau, and Darrick Landreneau. She is also survived by many great-grandchildren.

Helen was born into humble beginnings, primarily being raised in Webb City, MO. She mourned the

loss of her mother, Pansy, at a young age, and was left with no choice but to grow up quickly.

During her school-age years, Helen was a proud member of the Webb City Marching Band and

played various instruments, as well as twirled the baton. During one very hot July 4th parade in the

1940s, Helen boasted that she marched in full-uniform and carried a big marching bass drum the

whole length of Main Street in Joplin, MO. Helen grew up loving the Webb City and Joplin, MO

area where she called home, and was very knowledgeable about local lead and zinc mining history,

as well as long-vanished localities, like Lakeside Park, the Southwest Missouri trolley system, and

the mining chat piles. Helen lived through World War II and rationed like everyone else, and loved

old movies of the golden age of Hollywood from that era, as well as big band music. Webb City,

MO was her cherished community, and where she enjoyed living most of her life.

Helen met Ralph Costley in the late 1940s near Carl Junction, Missouri. It was not love at first sight

for her, but it could be said it was for Ralph, because she recalled that he wouldn’t leave her alone,

and eventually was persistent enough to win her affections. They were married on April 29, 1950,

and had four children together: Karen, Kevin, Keith, and Kandy. Shortly after marrying, Helen and

Ralph made the most important decision they could have ever made for their family, by deciding to

surrender their lives to Jesus. Helen and Ralph upheld and championed the great commission all

their lives, and Helen’s faith in Jesus was apparent to anyone who knew her. Helen, Ralph, and their

family enjoyed living many years at 1328 W. Daugherty Street in Webb City, which was Helen’s

Victorian dream home. Helen made that house into a home, and adorned the rooms with Irish lace

curtains, a beautiful Grandfather clock, and antique, imported, Victorian furniture. She was proud

of it, and many memories were made in that home for children and grandchildren alike.

For many years, Helen was a member of Frisco Church in Webb City, MO, serving in numerous

capacities. She loved her church family, and many of them were lifelong friends. Helen was also a

member of the Full Gospel Evangelistic Association and was a proud volunteer at Wyandotte TriState Full Gospel Youth Camp, where her children and grandchildren attended. She was also a

member of the Woman’s Club in Joplin, MO for several years, serving on the executive committee.

Helen supported her children’s and grandchildren’s endeavors, such as their education, teaching, art,

and music, always encouraging them to follow the Lord wherever life took them. During her

retirement years, Helen became a landscape oil painter, and even though she minimized her

paintings, became quite talented at it. As well as her painting talents, Helen had a visual eye for

style, and was always the best-dressed anywhere she went. She had a unique knack to tell someone

the correct color palette of clothes to wear to best suit someone’s complexion and hair color. She

was a master storyteller, had a strong command of the English language, an ardent lover of history,

and would tell stories as colorful as her personality to anyone who would listen. She was also tough

as nails.

In her later years of life, Helen relocated to Shreveport, LA, where she fell in love with her church

family at Central Assembly of God. She made many friends there, and was always more than

thankful for that church. That church family helped her through the loss of a husband and a

daughter. As Helen aged, she remained largely independent and able-bodied. In more recent years, Helen routinely and longingly spoke about reuniting with the love of her life, Ralph, after living a long and fulfilled life. So, peacefully, by the Grace of God, sleeping in her bed, she left this world and is now in her husband’s arms again, rejoicing in the presence of the Jesus she loved so much.

A graveside service to celebrate Helen's life will be held on Friday, July 25, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. at

Pleasant Hill Cemetery, Co. Rd 260, Carl Junction, MO.

In lieu of flowers, Helen requested that donations be made to Central Assembly of God Church,

Hwy. 80, Haughton, LA 71037, the church family that she loved and who loved her so well.