Award-winning newspaper photographer Richard “Dick” Costello died at his Milltown home on September 5, 2024, after a prolonged illness two weeks after his 92nd birthday

A veteran of more than 50 years photographing the people, events and history of Central New Jersey for the Home News Publishing Company, the Highland Park native was known as a daredevil photographer, at times climbing church steeples to get the best shot to illustrate a story. He followed his father, Charles Costello’s footsteps into the industry.  His dad was a lifetime Linotype machine operator for the company.

 Dick worked days, nights, weekends and holidays, wherever and whenever the news was happening. Thanksgiving dinner was late one year because Dick was covering a riot at the East Jersey State Prison in Rahway, which produced a Page One photograph that earned him a New Jersey Press Association first place award.

But holidays were always special at the Costello home with Dick and his wife of 65 years, Beatrice, decorating the interior and exterior of their home according to the holiday. And the fireplace mantel at Christmas held 21 stockings for children, spouses, grandchildren and an occasional pet dog. Dick and Bea worked long and hard to make that holiday magical and every year Dick would get the Lionel train set and miniature houses and other decorations from the attic making their home welcoming to all.

Their basement den was a gallery for Dick’s photographs and featured a full display of pictures he had taken of U.S. Presidents from John F. Kennedy to George W. Bush, once prompting one of his granddaughters to ask: “Where is Abraham Lincoln?”                                                              

A sports fanatic and a graduate of Highland Park High School, Dick loved all Owls teams and coaches, the St. Louis Cardinals and especially the Green Bay Packers. He loved Rutgers University’s sports too, having traveled the country with Ken O’Brien, reporting the Scarlet Knights football and basketball games with pictures and words for several years.  When Ken was ailing, Dick was one of the originators of the weekly Burger King breakfasts that brought retirees and current employees together for 15 years. 

Dick served with the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg for two years during the Korean War and was extremely proud and patriotic. His property was filled with red, white and blue, American flags, Uncle Sam and military mementoes and he was a member of the American Legion.

Perpetually in motion, Dick could be seen racing his jet ski at the family vacation home on Lake Wallenpaupack in Pennsylvania, sporting his summer crewcut. He showed his competitive spirit by always being the first one into the lake in early spring and the last one out as winter approached.  He also was a competitive distance runner, participating in races into his 70s -- his age, not his speed.

He was a popular figure in Milltown and the Brunswicks riding his late brother Charlie’s bike which Dick claimed was older than himself.  When he attended fish fries, went to restaurants or was shopping, he would be elated by being recognized by the public for having taken a photo in the past that they remembered. 

Loving and missing him forever are his four children and their spouses and PopPop’s 10 grandchildren.  They are daughter, Judy Naperkowski (Raymond); his three sons, Rick (Cyndi), Scott (Dolores) and Kevin; and his grandchildren, Ricky, Justin, Margot, Nicholas, Caitlyn, Alyssa, Ryan, and Benjamin Costello; and Nicole Ramon and Raymond Naperkowski, but missing him the most will be his cherished wife, “Bubbles”, his inseparable partner.

Family and friends will be received on Sunday at the Bronson and McNamara Memorial Home, 152 N. Main Street, Milltown, NJ. His interment will be held Monday 12:30pm at BG William C. Doyle Veterans Memorial Cemetery in North Hanover Township.  In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in Dick’s memory to Alzheimer’s Association, 197 Route 18, East Brunswick NJ 08816.