Wife of Slain Labor Commissioner Mark Costello Asks To Replace Husband

Cathy Costello, the widow of slain Oklahoma Labor Commissioner Mark Costello, requested that Oklahoma Governor Mary Fallin appoint her to serve the remainder of her husband’s term on Tuesday.

“So many in our state have been grieving over the loss of my late husband Mark. I cannot thank you enough for the tremendous support you have shown to me and my family during this time” Costello said in a letter sent to Fallin on Tuesday. 

Costello would join the wives of President’s, Congressmen, and US Senators who continued the work of their husbands after their death should she be appointed as Labor Commissioner.

“There is still work to be done” Costello continued. “According to Oklahoma Statute 51.12, ‘If any officer of the state, district, county, city, town or other governmental subdivision of this state shall die while in office, and shall leave a surviving spouse, the said surviving spouse shall be eligible (if otherwise qualified) to be appointed to and to hold said office during the term for which the said officer was elected…’. In the history of our nation, and as recently as 2010, the practice known as the Widow’s Mandate has allowed 48 women to continue the work they started with their husbands as their successors.”

After learning that she was eligible to serve and receiving the encouragement of other elected officials, Costello decided to formally ask the Governor to allow her to continue her husband’s work, “After the countless conversations with you, and the support of many citizens, the support offered by state and federal officials, as well as my business partner and brother-in-law Richard Costello and business leaders around the state, I formally ask that you allow me to finish the work that Mark and I started together,” Costello said.

Cathy Costello was born in Kansas City, Missouri on July 22, 1959. She received a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Kansas in 1981 where she met Mark. The couple was married in January 1982. Mark was murdered at the hand of his mentally ill son in front of his wife. Mark died in Cathy's arms on Sunday, August 23, 2015. They would have been married for 34 years on January 8th, 2016.