In Memory
Antoinette M. "Toni" Costello-Slabaugh
Oct. 11, 1938 - Nov. 14, 2007
SOUTH BEND - Antoinette M. "Toni" Costello-Slabaugh, 69, beloved mother, grandmother, sister and aunt, died at The Center for Hospice and Palliative Care on Wednesday, Nov. 14, 2007, following a lengthy illness. She was born October 11, 1938, in South Bend's Memorial Hospital to the late Joseph and Alice Costello.
She attended Our Lady of Hungary Grade School and graduated from Riley High School in 1956.
On September 2, 1968, she was united in marriage to James C. Slabaugh. Toni was an active community theater member in the Indiana/Michigan area and was a founding member of The South Bend Community "Firehouse" Theater. She is best known for her time as a nightclub entertainer at The Wooden Keg and The Down Under throughout the sixties and early seventies, and as "Bloody Mary" in a production of South Pacific for The University of Notre Dame. Her folk-singing group, "The Hallmarks," was a welcome addition to many weddings and festivities until the eighties. Toni was also a member of Our Lady of Hungary Church where she was a member of the church choir for some 40+ years.
Toni worked for Steel Warehouse for nearly 30 years, retiring in 1986. She then helped to establish her brother's third-party insurance firm, ASI, in Mishawaka. She retired as vice president of ASI in 1999.
Toni is survived by her daughter and son-in-law, Stacy and Michael Nowinski of East Layton, Utah; her granddaughter, Lisa Anne, who carries on Toni's singing legacy and of whom Toni was especially proud; her brother and sister-in-law, Ralph and Julie Costello, South Bend, IN; a sister-in-law Esther Costello, South Bend; five nieces, Gina Costello, Spokane, WA, Rebecca (John) MacDonald of Mishawaka, Kathleen (Joe) Crimmins, South Bend, Amy Costello of Portland, OR, and Laura (Kieran) Whitney, Tacoma, WA; two nephews, Paul Joseph Costello, Memphis, TN, and Ken Costello of South Bend; several great-nieces and nephews; and many, many friends, all of whom she loved very much.
In addition to her parents, she was preceded in death by a loving brother, Paul C. Costello, and a niece, Lisa R. Costello.
A memorial Mass for Toni will be held at 11:00 A.M. on December 15th in Our Lady of Hungary Catholic Church, 829 W. Calvert St., South Bend, Indiana. Kaniewski Funeral Homes, South Bend, is handling the arrangements. In lieu of flowers, please make memorial donations to The Center for Hospice and Palliative Care.
Mom... God Bless. Be Safe. Take Care. Safe Journey. I'll see you later. I love you. - Stacy
Published by South Bend Tribune on Nov. 18, 2007.
06/22/2023 EJS
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