Mary Joan Cosgrove

In loving memory of Joan Cosgrove, she was an extraordinary woman. We are so sad to have to say good-bye to her, but here we want to celebrate her life. She didn't have an easy life; she lost her mother at 12 years old, her father when she was 20 and her brother in World War II. She went to live with her aunt and uncle and cousins the Hartigans. When she married Jim Cosgrove in 1947, she gained a new large extended family. She truly was a sister to Kate, Betty, Toodie, Pat, and Jack. As the years went by, her own family grew to include three sons, Dan, Mike and Tim. The extended family also grew to include spouses, and lots of nieces and nephews. One constant in Joan's life were her life-long friends: Jackie, Gloria, Pat, Masie, Jane and a host of others. They raised their kids together, spent holidays together, and took vacation together. They had many adventures. Members of those families are encouraged to recount some of the memories here. Anyone who knows the Cosgrove boys knows that Joan didn't have it easy raising them, but she did it with grace, even doing a stint as a boy-scout leader! If Jim was the disciplinarian, Joan's was the supportive, loving, cheerleader mom. Tim recalls that she never missed any of his games. She also took up fishing, her husband's passion, and it became her own. She also loved to dance at weddings, especially to "New York, New York." Joan was very proud of her Irish heritage, and loved Irish music and St. Patrick's Day. Joan was always active in the church, and was a long time parishioner at Sts. John and James, and later as it merged and changed names to Blessed Teresa of Calcutta. She was a member of the Legion of Mary and later the St. Vincent DePaul society with her neighbor and friend Pat Tucker. These were perfect roles for her as she was always caring and nurturing to everyone. If Joan had had a profession, it would have been nursing. Throughout her life she took care of several family members. In the late sixties, early seventies her father-ion-law Mike-Grandpa Cosgrove moved in and she cared for him. Later when Jim became ill, she cared for him at home, earning a degree's worth of nursing skills along the way. After Jim's death, she turned her attention to being a Grandma, and she was the best! (Just ask her 3 grand-children, Maura, Louis and Ben). She played with them, sang to them, (even when Louis said, "Don't sing Grandma!), and took them to Taco Bell and out for pizza. Mostly she gave them all her unconditional love and recognized and embraced their unique personalities. As Joan's own health failed, she never complained. She didn't want to put anyone out (except Dan!). She spent many a Sunday dinner at Tim's house, even as her appetite began to wane, she always cleared her plate! I think what most people remember about Joan is what a good listener she was, how caring and interested she was in their lives, and how upbeat she always was, no matter what the circumstance. She was a very cheerful, sunny person. She was lots of fun and always strong in her faith. She always prayed for us and we know that will continue until we are all reunited. Visitation Wed 3-8pm at HUTCHENS Mortuary, 675 Graham Rd, Florissant. Procession leaving at 9:15am from HUTCHENS Mortuary to Blesssed Teresa of Calcutta Catholic Church, 150 N. Elizabeth, Ferguson, MO, for 10am Mass Thurs, June 18. Interment Calvary Cemetery. Memorials to BTC St. Vincent DePaul or Vulcanizers Fund, 20 S. Dellwood, St. Louis, MO 63135.

Mary Joan Cosgrove

January 2, 1927 - June 13, 2015