Michel Costino

Michel Costino, 94 years of age, left this earth on September 16th, 2025. Our hearts and souls are heavy with his absence.

Mitch was born 1931 in East Chicago, Indiana, to Romanian parents, Thomas and Anna Costino, who immigrated to the United States in 1915. After graduating from Washington High School in 1949, Mitch went on to study at Purdue University, completing a B.S. degree in electrical engineering in 1954. While at Purdue, he met and married Maralee Whisenand from Indianapolis, Indiana.

Early in his 25-plus years of service in the U.S. Army, Mitch worked as a field engineer and helicopter pilot in support of the cartographic program of the Inter-American Geodetic Survey Project in Costa Rica, Central America. He and Maralee thoroughly enjoyed living in Latin America. Life-long friendships were forged in San Jose, CR where several American ex-pats came together and held musicals and hosted art exhibitions. Mitch was a regular singer and dancer in these shows, which were open to the local public. Mitch and Maralee's first child, Martina "Tina" Costino-Jones was born in Costa Rica. Shortly thereafter, son Nicholas Costino was born while Mitch was stationed in Fort Hood, Texas, participating in Combat Aviation Training.

Mitch continued to further his education, completing an M.E.A. in Engineering Administration at George Washington University in 1967. Subsequently, Captain Costino served two tours in the Republic of Vietnam. He was injured while taking heroic action flying over enemy territory in the presence of hostile fire. He returned stateside to have hand surgery and convalesce. Shortly thereafter, he returned for a second tour. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal, Bronze Star medal, and Purple Heart medal.

Mitch was not only passionate about his family but also about education. Recognizing the transformative impact of learning, he instilled in his children a love for knowledge and an insatiable curiosity for the world, which we experienced through our travels. What a gift he gave us - from a scrappy kid from East Chicago.

After receiving specialized intelligence training, Mitch was diplomatically accredited and served three years as a Military Attache in Lima, Peru, in the early 1970s. He retired from the Army as a full Colonel. He worked for another 15 years in line management as a defense contractor at BDM International in McLean, Virginia. It was at BDM he met and fell in love with Linda Wilder. After their retirement, Mitch and his wife, Linda, made their home and enjoyed an active life at Turtle Bay on the north shore of O'ahu. They were actively involved in the community and were faithful stewards of one of the first churches established on O'ahu, the Kamehaneha Church in nearby Hale'iwa. In 2013, they moved back to the mainland and enjoyed their home in the Northeast Heights of Albuquerque. In 2021, they relocated to The Montebello on Academy.

Mitch was preceded in death by his parents, his older brother Thomas, Jr, and sister, Annie; his former wife, Maralee Costino, and current wife, Linda Costino. He is survived by loving family, whom he shared with his wife, Linda, Tina and her husband, Braun; Nick and his wife, Lorena; Bruce, Jr. and his wife, Kirsten; Shannon; Mark and his wife, Christy. He is also survived by his sister-in-law, Lisa, and her husband, John, and their children, Dylan and Shanna. Mitch was beyond blessed and enjoyed his grandchildren, Beckham and Sienna; Jessica and her partner Carlo; Emily and her husband, Brian; Meredith and her husband, Ryan; Melinda and her husband, Israel; Cody and his wife, Erinn; Ben and his wife, Jenn; Canyon and his wife, Kate; Rain and Autumn. He rejoiced in his great-grandchildren, Carson, Landon, Jasper, Everett, Mia, Miles, Fielding, Rhodes, and Camila.

Scumpa Poppy, you are now at peace, but you will live on forever in our hearts. We can still hear you singing Sinatra's 'Come Fly with Me'...

'Once I get you up there, where the air is rarefied,

We'll just glide, starry-eyed

Once I get you up there, I'll be holding you so near,

You may hear all angels cheer...because we're together'

A private memorial service will take place at the Santa Fe National Cemetery. Mitch's family is grateful for the compassionate care he received at the Montebello on Academy by the staff and from Road Runner Hospice and the VA Hospital during the last months of his life.