Charles L. "Larry" Costolo

May 25, 1963 - February 26, 2025
Charles Larimer (Larry) Costolo, 61, of Eldersburg, MD died at University of Maryland Medical Center from a sudden and unexpected health event on February 26, 2025.
Larry was born on May 25, 1963 in Lanham, MD to Charles L. (Chuck) Costolo Jr. and Rhuie (Penny) Pefley. Larry, "Big Lou," "Larry Charles," "CFL," or most lovingly simply "Dad," would bring life and joy to every room he entered, his giant personality and giant physical stature warmly drawing people together for laughs, smiles, and an endless repository of movie line quips.
Growing up in P.G. County, MD, Larry was a typical guy's guy, always getting into mischief with his best friends the twins George and Joe Seminara. The three were standout athletes on the DuVal high school baseball team (Larry also doubling as a football star). The three would often recount their senior year one-run come-from-behind victory over Crossland in 1979, arguing over who was the real star of the trio's sixth inning defensive play that kept the come-back win chances alive. The Prince George Journal recounts: "[ ] George Seminara ran to his right, played the ball cleanly and quickly relayed the ball to his brother Joe at short. Joe threw a strike to the plate and Costolo made the tag in time." (Larry would often scoff at how much of a "strike" the throw from Joe was and the photo in the paper shows Larry needing to make quite a dive to make that out ).
After high school, Larry went to work at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, MD where he met the love of his life, Kim Langis in 1982. Larry's first few asks for dates with Kim may only have been because she lived so close to Baltimore Memorial Stadium-where the two spent many evenings together watching the O's-but this quickly blossomed into lifelong love. The two were married in 1987, remaining wedded sweethearts for 37 years.
Not long after marrying, Larry and Kim started a family of their own and their two children meant the world to them: Bobby (born 1990) and Emily (born 1994). The family of four loved vacationing on Disney Cruise Lines and frequenting Busch Gardens Williamsburg Amusement Park, hosting Independence Day neighborhood parties complete with blockbuster [semi] legal firework displays, competing for top shot at the shooting range, binge watching reruns of The Simpsons, and of course cheering on the Orioles and Ravens as they more often came up short each season-but nevertheless remaining committed and convinced that "next year is our year."
While raising his young family, Larry worked with his father selling telecommunications equipment from their independent firm CLC Associates; Larry took over as company owner when Chuck passed away in 1996. The dot-com bubble and recession of the late 2000s-2010s created challenging years for the industry and ultimately led to CLC Associates dissolving. However, the silver lining was this led to Larry transitioning to a dream job as a 911 Dispatcher for Howard County Police & Fire in 2016. Larry loved being 'in the know' on all things happening in the city, he made forever friends amongst his co-worker-who fondly called him "Larry Charles," and he was so proud to serve his community right up until his retirement and recognition as "Dispatcher of the Quarter" in December 2024.
Larry was an extremely proud father and eagerly sought out ways to be involved in the extracurriculars of his children-notably he ran the scoreboard and did announcing at Bobby & Emily's high school (Century High) for basketball and football games which he continued long after they graduated-Larry notched his 500th basketball game in February 2025. When Bobby started at the Coast Guard Academy, Larry volunteered as an admissions partner and for the next decade helped other Maryland high schoolers strengthen their applications and enter the Academy. Larry & Kim also made the 6-hour drive up to New London, CT for every single one of Bobby's home football games-and most of the away games-over the four years. Larry never missed a single school play, band concert, or powerlifting meet of Emily's. He could not have been prouder when Emily graduated from UMBC, and had a smile ear to ear at her graduation. He was always rooting for her to succeed and showing his support no matter the occasion.
Larry loved to garden and had quite the green thumb. Each year he seemed to harvest and give away more cucumbers, peppers, tomatoes, and zucchini than he, his kids, his neighbors, coworkers, the Amazon delivery guy, or random passersby could possibly manage to use in one lifetime. He perfected canning the fruits of this labor, making sauces and pickles the family enjoyed well into the winter, and he delighted in giving his Tabasco peppers to a buddy to make some top-notch hot sauces.
Later in life as Larry and Kim approached retirement, and once the kids had left the nest, their lives grew quieter and slower, but also closer. They filled the empty bedrooms Bobby and Emily left with two fur babies: dogs Axel and Sadie-who somehow managed to earn even more spoiling than their children received. Larry and Kim loved good food and Larry had a passion for cooking. They bonded over trying unique dishes and Larry would spoil Kim by making her a homecooked lunch every day-their daily date before Kim had to jet back to work.
Lastly, we would be remised to not acknowledge Larry's passion for NFL football and decades long reign as "Commissioner for Life (CFL)" of the Chuck Costolo Memorial Football Pool, founded by Larry, his father Chuck, and the CLC Associates team circa 1987. The 60+ football fanatical family members to this pigskin prognostication league over the last 37 years will forever remember the "Iron Fist" and carry on the companionship Larry and his father built for years to come.
We could not have asked for a better brother, husband, father, friend, and best of all grandfather to call our own. We are heartbroken to have lost Larry so suddenly. We will miss him every day. His memory will live on in the hearts of all those who loved and knew him.
Larry was predeceased by his sister, Christine Costolo. He is survived by his wife Kimberly Costolo (Langis), sister Deborah McElroy and husband James, brother Steven Costolo and wife Jaime, brother Robert Costolo and wife Carrie, son Robert Costolo and wife Amanda, daughter Emily Ulisney and husband Matthew. Larry was also grandfather ("Obi" - yes... after Obi-Wan Kenobi) to three grandchildren: Brady Costolo, Colton Costolo, and Lilly Costolo. Larry's daughter Emily is expecting her first child and Larry's fourth grandchild in June 2025.
Celebration of Life:
We welcome family and friends to join us for A Celebration of Life for Larry on March 29th, 2025 at Haight Funeral Home - 6416 Sykesville Rd., Sykesville, MD 21784.
Larry's family will be available to welcome celebrants from 11:00am-12:00pm and the celebration ceremony will start at 12:00pm.
Wake:
A Wake will follow the Celebration of Life from 1:30pm-4:30pm - Maggie's Restaurant, 310 E. Green Street, Westminster, Maryland 21157
All celebrants are welcome. We kindly ask those planning to attend the Wake r.s.v.p. to Bobby Costolo: robert.c.costolo@gmail.com