YARMOUTH—Jean Rioux Kosciw, 68, of Yarmouth, died Dec. 26. She was at home, surrounded by her sons. Kosciw was born in Portland on May 20, 1944, a daughter of Alfred J. and Alma LaRou Rioux. When she was three years old, the Rioux family moved to Peaks Island. She attended school on Peaks Island and graduated from Portland High School in 1962. Jean graduated with honors and received the Brown Medal for excellence.

In 1969, she married Thomas Kosciw, who was serving in the Marine Corps. Together they started a family, raising two boys, David and Steven. During his long career, the family lived and travelled in many places around the world including Virginia, South Carolina, Okinawa, Japan and Maryland. The couple made many friends and great memories wherever they lived.

Kosciw returned to Maine with her family, fulfilling their plans to retire and live in Maine near her mother and family. The family settled in Yarmouth and she lived there for the rest of her life. As her sons grew up, she restarted her career working at Anthem. She went to Husson College and earned her bachelor’s in accounting. She graduated with high honors and used her degree to advance her position at work. She worked at Anthem for 24 years.

She belonged to the Sacred Heart Parish in Yarmouth. Her faith and service were always an important part of her life. She joined church outings to Ireland, Vienna, and Greece. She enjoyed travelling and learning about the world. Other than her family, her great love was gardening. She planted beautiful shrubs and flowers all around her house. Her great joy was creating and maintaining a rock garden behind the house.

Kosciw reached out to the world and embraced life in a positive way. She shared words of wisdom with her family and friends. Her strength of character and her kind nature will never be forgotten. 

She is survived by her sons, David, of Yarmouth, and Steven, of Japan; her brothers Richard Rioux, of Portland and Donald Rioux and his wife, Marie, of Dorchester, Mass.; and her sisters, Shirley and her husband, Maurice Michaud, of Missouri, Florence and her husband, Erhard Griffin, of Long Island, her twin, Joan Cook, of Portland, and Audrey and her husband, Peter Bryant, of Portland. She also leaves behind numerous nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews. 

She was predeceased by her parents, Alfred and Alma; her husband, Tom; her brother, James; and sisters Alma, Barbara, and Maria.

There was a funeral Dec. 31 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Yarmouth. Burial will be in the Holy Cross Cemetery in Yarmouth in spring 2013.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be sent to the ASPCA at: ASPCA.ORG or call: 800-628-0028.

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