Joan Mary (Costabile) DeBell, 81, passed away Sunday May 20, 2018, surrounded by her loving family, in Houston Methodist Hospital. Joan was born in Chicago July 21, 1936 of John and Stella Costabile. She leaves behind her husband, Joseph, two sisters Barbara Grau and husband Tom, and Jane Poulos; four children Ronald DeBell and wife Mary, John DeBell and wife Melissa, Susanne DeBell, and Jeanne Polocheck and husband Layne; six grandchildren Ciara DeBell, Delaney Polocheck, Nicolette Polocheck, Joseph DeBell, Jessica Smith, and Amanda Wolf; and a large loving extended family in several cities.
Joan graduated Wells High School in Chicago and went on to nursing school at Norwegian – American Hospital in Chicago, training as an Operating Room (OR) Nurse. In 1962 she entered the U.S. Air Force as a First Lieutenant, serving at several U.S. air bases and in the Viet Nam war theater, evacuating wounded to hospitals in Japan and the Philippines. She left the service in 1970 with the rank of Captain to raise a family with her husband Joseph, also in the Air Force. The next 36 years included earning Bachelors and Masters degrees, as well as senior nursing positions at various hospitals, such as Director of OR Nursing Services at Children’s National Medical Center in Washington D.C.; and Vice President of Nursing at Palisades Medical Center in Bergen, New Jersey. Joan later consulted to east coast hospitals on Hospital Certification inspections, infection control, and hospital relocations. She loved her nursing career spanning over 45 years, all while raising four children.
Joan had a beautiful, pure soprano singing voice and loved to sing in church and chorus. While in retirement with her husband Joseph, she started several singing groups. She loved little theater, and performed in many productions. She enjoyed spending time with her beloved dachshunds Eddie and Ruby, reading, watching “Wheel of Fortune”, and spending time with grandchildren and family. She also loved traveling; and in her lifetime visited over 40 countries. She lived a long and giving life, now with God.
