Barbara May (Moore) Costner

Barbara May (Moore) Costner passed away peacefully in Portland, Oregon, on May 22, 2025, at the age of 91. A devoted mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and long-time member of Hinson Baptist Church, Barbara lived a vibrant and full life, marked by love, faith, and a deep commitment to her family and community.

Born in London, England, Barbara experienced the hardships of World War II as a young girl, including evacuation to the countryside with her sister. She graduated from the University of St. Andrews in Scotland in 1955 with a degree in Geography and Modern History. Her life was one of global adventure—living in England, Australia, New Caledonia, Malaysia, and eventually settling in the United States in 1971.

Barbara dedicated her career to education, serving as a teacher and school principal in Malaysia, a teacher in the U.S., and later as a teacher and houseparent at a boarding school in Wales. She also taught English to Cambodian, Croatian, and Bosnian refugees through her church in Arizona. Her passion for learning and nurturing others left a lasting impact on countless students and colleagues.

An avid traveler and lifelong adventurer, Barbara explored the world with enthusiasm—from hiking in Scotland and climbing mountains in Norway to trekking through the Malaysian rainforest and scaling Sydney Harbour Bridge at age 89. She especially cherished traveling with her children and grandchildren, and her home was always open to visiting friends and family.

Barbara found joy in the simple pleasures of life: gardening, reading, puzzles, and church activities. She was a shining example of kindness, resilience, generosity, and unwavering faith. Her presence was a blessing to all who knew her.

She is survived by her husband, Alan Dale Costner, and her five children: Lesley McTaggart (Michael Myers), Angela McTaggart, Ivan (Paula) McTaggart, Adrienne (Tom) Hudson, and Ingrid McTaggart.

She also leaves behind nine grandchildren—Emily (Michael) Taggart, Jeffrey McTaggart, Rachel Hudson, James Hudson, Clementine McTaggart, Kiernen McTaggart, Malcolm McTaggart, Finnegan McTaggart, and Rupert McTaggart—and one great-grandchild, Henry Taggart. She was preceded in death by her former husband and father of her children, W. Donald McTaggart, her parents, Harold and Olive Moore, and her sister, Valerie Teresa Fry.

A memorial service will be held at Hinson Baptist Church in Portland, Oregon, on Saturday, May 31st at 11:00 a.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Indigenous Ministries

at www.indigenousministries.org.

Barbara’s life was a testament to grace, courage, and compassion. She will be deeply missed and lovingly remembered.