ANN ARBOR—Jane E. Costabile, University of Michigan professor emeritus of social work, died Nov. 23 at Glacier Hills Nursing Center here. She was 86.

Costabile, well known for her expertise in group work and child welfare, taught at the U-M School of Social Work from 1962 until her retirement in 1979. She also directed the School’s admissions office from 1974 until 1979.

In addition to her substantial contributions to the educational programs of the School of Social Work, Costabile had a distinguished record of service to state organizations, including the Michigan Youth Commission, the Advisory Committee on Children and Youth, and the Michigan Department of Social Services Placement Services Advisory Committee.

She helped rewrite the state Adoption Code of 1975 and helped establish policies providing for subsidized adoptions, making Michigan one of the pioneers in this area. She also was an active member of many community organizations, including Catholic Social Services, Literacy Council of Washtenaw County, and Lurie Terrace and Glacier Hills Residents Association.

“Jane was a marvelous person,” says U-M social work Prof. Tom Croxton. “We shared an office for many years?I think I always worked better with Jane around because I had a ready consultant who had so much more experience than I had.”

Rosemary Sarri, U-M professor emeritus of social work, remembers Costabile’s dedication to the practice of social work in group work, child welfare and the city of Detroit. “She always reminded us how important it was to continue to be out in the field keeping track of what was going on,” she says.

When Harold Johnson, U-M professor emeritus and former dean of social work, organized the state’s new Office of Children and Youth Services in 1970, he wanted her assistance “because I knew she would give me an accurate appraisal of my performance and because she enjoyed the respect of the state’s key players in child welfare.

“People would tell her things they would not tell me, which helped us to evaluate our activities. She was so honest and disarming that I could use her as an ‘advance’ person as we moved around Lansing and the state of Michigan.”

Born Dec. 13, 1912, in Wyandotte, Mich., Costabile received a bachelor’s degree from Alma College, a master’s degree from McCormick Theological Seminary in Chicago and a master’s in social work from the University of Pittsburgh.

Before joining the U-M, she taught at Wayne State University and served as planning consultant for the United Community Services of Metropolitan Detroit for several years.

She is survived by a brother, Charles Wright, and his wife, Rita, of Wyandotte; and a niece, Barbara Wright, and a nephew, William Wright, both of Jackson. Her husband, Dominick Costabile, was killed in action during World War II.

Memorial contributions may be made to the U-M School of Social Work, the United Way of Washtenaw County or Alma College.