Elsie Coston

Elsie (Martin) Coston was born on January 19th 1939, in Kingstown, the capital city of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, located in the eastern Caribbean. In May 2021, she was diagnosed with dementia. Her condition subsequently deteriorated, and she passed away at 11AM on Friday November 7th, 2025 while receiving hospice care at Christiana Hospital, in Newark Delaware. She was 86 at the time of death. As the eldest child of the late Marian Ragsdale who preceded her in death.

Elsie graduated from the Methodist School, the top public schools in the Saint Vincent School System. In 1962, she relocated to the United States with her four siblings, settling in Philadelphia, PA, where she resided before moving to New Castle, DE in 1994. Her professional tenure included positions at the University of Pennsylvania Hospital, DuPont’s Grays Ferry Plant, and the DuPont Experimental Station in Wilmington, DE. She retired in 2010.

Elsie was an exceptional cook and took great pleasure in cooking, spending time with her family, friends, and neighbors. Her life was characterized by remarkable strength, unwavering honesty, and unrelenting kindness. Indeed, she was a unique individual with a generous heart and a compassionate spirit, often described as the cornerstone, or the rock of her family.

Elsie is survived by her devoted husband, Thomas Coston with whom she shared of 47 years of marriage. She’s also survived by her sons, Richard Martin (Diane), Carl Martin; siblings, Elsa Satchell (Ernest), Vibert Martin, Claudette Martin, and Sally Martin; grandchildren Tawona Martin, Richard Martin, Jr, and Warren Martin (Breanne); great-grandson Jackson Elliott, and a multitude of nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends who stood by her until the very end.

Elsie leaves behind a profound legacy in the hearts of those she touched, one rooted in peace, love, and resilience. Her quiet and profound relationship with herself and her faith enabled her to love and give selflessly to others. She embodied hope, optimism, and faith that all things would always work out for the best. Her presence taught strength without harshness, courage without bravado, and softness without weakness. She walked with grace, and even in pain, she chose joy, courage, and kindness.

She was an angel on earth as she will be in heaven. Her love will forever be connected to us through cherished memories, stories, laughter, and the strength she demonstrated. Her sense of humor, quiet fortitude, and unwavering love will be remembered by all who knew her. And while her physical journey has ended, her spirit rests in peace, free and whole, forever enshrined in the hearts of those she loved.