Jose Maria Costa's Obituary
Jose Maria Costa Aravelo was born November 13, 1940 in Barcelona, Spain, the eldest son to
Amadeo Costa and Josefa Costa Aravelo. On Wednesday, May 1, at age 83, Jose Maria passed
to his heavenly home, surrounded in love with his family by his side.
Jose Maria grew up in Barcelona and served his country in the air force division of the Spanish
Armed Forces. After completing his military service, he moved to Venezuela to follow his father
and attended Universidad Central de Venezuela where he earned an undergraduate degree in
Journalism. From Venezuela Jose Maria migrated to the US where he attended the University of
Michigan and earned a master’s degree in mass communications. Once he completed his
studies, he worked for a few years and went back to Venezuela and started JMC
Comunicaciones Integradas, one of the largest and most successful marketing and advertising
consortiums in the country.
Throughout 83 years, Jose María positively impacted many lives and changed them forever.
From his beginnings in Spain, his formative years in Venezuela and the United States, to his
many decades of leadership in the world of business and advertising in Venezuela and Latin
America, Jose María always maintained the philosophy of intercepting Talent and Willingness
and Resisting the Usual.
Jose Maria instilled in us a good sense of humor, a love for enjoying meals with family and
friends, a desire to continually learn and improve. He taught us how to be honest, how to work
very hard, how to have an unbreakable ethic, and how to be good people. But perhaps the
most important thing he taught us is the power of kindness. With his kindness, Jose Maria
created several foundations to help people in need, with his kindness, Jose Maria dedicated
endless hours to helping every person who needed it. With his kindness, Jose Maria created
academic programs to advance communication studies in Venezuela. With his kindness, Jose
Maria was an angel in life.
Jose is preceded in death by his father, Amadeo Costa and his mother, Josefa Costa Aravelo, his
mother-in-law, Rosita Spingola, and his brother-in-law, Sandro Spingola. He is survived by his
wife of 47 years, Eny Costa Spingola, his brother, Amadeo (Guadalupe) Costa, his brother
Francisco (Maria Rosa) Costa, his brother Marco (Gaby) Costa, his step mother Laura Costa, his
daughter Claudia Costa, his son, Jose Rene (Cindy) Costa, his daughter, Maria Gabriella Costa
(Juan) Robayo, his son Jose Andres Costa, and his grandchildren Mateo Costa, Loren Costa, Juan
Jose Robayo Costa, Vera Rose Costa, Isabella Robayo Costa, and Nicolas Costa, and a host of
nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will take place on Sunday, May 4 at 10:00am at Van Orsdel Funeral Services
located at 11220 N Kendall Dr., Miami FL 33176 for friends and family to honor and remember
the life of Jose Maria. In leiu of flowers, please consider a donation in Jose Maria’s memory to
St Jude’s Children’s Hospital or to any local foodbank.
What’s your fondest memory of Jose?
What’s a lesson you learned from Jose?
Share a story where Jose's kindness touched your heart.
Describe a day with Jose you’ll never forget.
How did Jose make you smile?