Obituary of Frank A Costigan

Frank A. Costigan, 87,died November 20, 2018, at a Bangor hospital after a period of declining health. He was born February 28, 1931, in Bangor, Maine, the son of Louis and Josephine (Burton ) Costigan. He learned to cook as a young boy, when at age fifteen his father took him to Southwest Harbor to work in a restaurant there. He joined the Navy in October, 1950, and spent seventeen months in Korean waters as a boiler tender Second Class on the USS Wisconsin. After his discharge, he married Mary Jane Shute, January 16, 1955. He was a cook at several local restaurants and, along with his wife, owned and operated Gladys’s Restaurant in Searsport, and The Village Drive In in Stockton. He also worked at Champion Paper Mill in Bucksport from 1977-1990. In his late twenties and early thirties, he was a member of the Stockton Springs Fire Department. . In his later years, he served on the Board of Appeals and on the Affordable Housing Committee. In 2011, he joined the American Legion and enjoyed the friendships he developed there and working on their annual yard sale. He especially liked working with The Steeple People on their many fund-raisers and was their official fish chowder maker for the chowder suppers. He enjoyed making doll and bear furniture and knick- knacks in his shop, puttering around outside, and going fishing. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Mary Jane (Shute) Costigan, of Stockton; two daughters, Tina Costigan and her significant other, Dana Chuprevich, of Belfast and Jill Ashey and her husband Randolph Ashey, of Aspen, Colorado; three grandchildren, Christopher Miliano of Rockland, Scott Wancus of Gorham, and Sadie Shaw and significant other Anthony Harmon, of Georgia and her mother, Carol Shaw, of Millinocket; four great grandchildren, Teagan Wancus of Michigan, Camas Tapley of Bangor, Owen Potter of New Hampshire and Evan Wancus of Georgia; “adopted” great grandchildren; Jonathan, James, Harrison, Ezra, Allison, Christina, Faith, Myrraya, Tyler, Seth, Lance,and Luke; one brother, Joseph Costigan of Prospect and Massachusetts; two sisters, Julia Costigan of Bangor and Marie Pomeroy and her husband, Bill, of Corinth; a sister-in law, Janice Shute, of Stockton; many nieces, nephews and cousins. He is also survived by his fishing buddy, Guy Perkins of Stockton. He was predeceased by a daughter, Lynn (Costigan) Shaw, a sister, Mary Louise Costigan; two brothers, Louis Costigan, Jr, and Stanley Costigan; and a son-in- law, John Shaw. Visitation for family and friends will be Saturday, November 24, from 1-2 PM with the funeral at 2 PM. at the Stockton Springs Community Church with Pastor John Tabor officiating. A time of reminiscing and refreshments will follow at Griffin Memorial Building, next to the Church. Interment will be at a later date. It was his wish that in lieu of flowers, a donation be made to the Stockton Springs Community Church Steeple Maintenance Fund, PO Box 391 Stockton Springs, ME 04981