Mayor Nicholas J. Costello

1935 - 2025

Nicholas J. Costello, Papa to his family and Nick to his friends, age 89 of Amesbury, died peacefully Monday evening, March 17, 2025, at his home, in the comforting presence of his loving family.

Born in Albany, NY, on August 22, 1935, he was the son of the late Nicholas Costello and Mary Clarke Costello. While enlisted in the U.S. Army, Nick was assigned to the U.S. Army Nike missile base in Nahant, MA. He met the love of his life, Cynthia, in Lynn, where they started a family, moving to Amesbury in 1969.

Nick had an extensive record of public service which started when he moved to Amesbury, as a member of the PTA. He would go on to serve as a school committee member and then town selectman. Greater service called and he was elected to the Massachusetts State Legislature from 1978-1991, first serving as the area's State Representative and later as its State Senator.

A true champion of environmental and social justice, Costello worked with local organizations for over 40 years to protect the area's beauty and quality of life for Merrimack Valley residents. As Senate Chairman of the Legislature's Committee on Energy, Senator Costello was a visionary helping to negotiate and regulate clean and renewable energy. Among other initiatives, he was selected to serve as the Massachusetts Senate liaison in discussions with Canada on the Hydro-Quebec energy supply project.

Senator Costello also served as a member of the Commerce and Labor Committee, specializing in small business and labor issues. He was also a member of the Natural Resources Committee and the Human Services and Elderly Affairs Committee. In 1988, he took on the additional challenge of chairmanship of the Special Senate Committee on Patient Care in State Mental Health Hospitals, and he notably authored women's health legislation requiring insurance companies to guarantee free mammograms and pap smears to patients.

From 1996 to 2001, Costello served as the City of Amesbury's first Mayor. As Mayor, he successfully ushered the transition from town government to city government. A major accomplishment of his tenure as mayor was to successfully gain funding for redeveloping and renovating the downtown, including the traffic flow. After retiring as Mayor, Costello served as the Executive Director for Link House from 2001 to 2014, an organization that he helped expand in 1992, which continued his life-long dedication to providing sober housing and transitional assistance to those in recovery. Additionally, Costello continued to serve as President of the Maudslay Arts Center in Newburyport, a role he began in 1993. While Senator, one of his proudest achievements was successfully securing the former Maudslay Estate as state park land, saving the land as recreational open space for area residents to enjoy. He also served as a member of the Amesbury Economic Development Committee and of the Amesbury Council of Aging.

Nick leaves behind a wonderful legacy and lifetime of joyful memories with his wife Cynthia, of 64 years, and his five sons and five grandchildren: son Nicholas, wife Mary and grandson Charlie of Kennebunkport, ME; son Christopher of Amesbury, MA; son former State Representative Michael, wife Kerrin and grandchildren Kate and Harry of Newburyport, MA; son Joseph, wife Tia and grandchildren Ellie and Rosie of Amesbury, MA; and son Jon-Patrick and wife Paula of Los Angeles, CA.Visiting hours will be on Friday, March 21, 2025 from 4 to 8 P.M. at the Highland Chapel of Paul C. Rogers Family Funeral Home, 2 Hillside Avenue, Amesbury, MA. A Funeral Mass will be held on Saturday, March 22, 2025 at 11:00 A.M. at St. Joseph's Church of St. Andre Bessette Parish, 2 School Street, Amesbury. The family will have a private burial for Nicholas.

A Celebration of Life will be held at the Maudslay Arts Center on August 24, 2025 from 2 P.M. to 4 P.M.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Link House, Inc. in Newburyport, MA; Maris Center for Women in Salisbury, MA; or the Maudslay Arts Center in Newburyport, MA.