In Memoriam: Toilet Costa, Sr.

There are thousands of these stories across the county--and indeed, inwards every country--but this 1 left me with a warm feeling, in addition to I idea y'all mightiness similar to run across it.

There is a local company, BC Tent & Awning, that provides tents to people for weddings in addition to other celebrations.  We used them for a trouble solid unit of measurement thing a twosome of years ago, in addition to they were lovely.  Well, we're at 1 time on the mailing list, in addition to nosotros late received this banking venture bill virtually the travel of the trouble solid unit of measurement patriarch, John Costa, Sr.  Beyond telling John's story, it presents a microcosm of a for sure catamenia inwards recent American history: This was an era inwards which, without question, complaint, or entitlement, everyday people provided service to their nation, their communities, in addition to their families.

Take a look!  Here are to a greater extent than or less excerpts:

It is with a heavy pump that nosotros part tidings of the passing of Bob’s begetter John Costa Senior. Mr. Costa was a difficult working trouble solid unit of measurement human being who touched the lives of in addition to hence many people inwards his 101 years on this the world in addition to B.C. Tent would non be without him. Bob e'er credits his parents every bit the truthful founders of B.C. Tent & Awning. The society started inwards his parent’s garage hither inwards Avon. Bob’s parents were inwards their 60’s in addition to would answer phones, ship out invoices, assist with installations, build clean the tents, sew together the drib cloths in addition to much more. The exclusively compensation they wanted was knowing they were portion of the success of their son.

Well into his 80’s Mr. Costa worked periodically inwards the warehouse amongst people who were a quarter of his age. In his 90’s in addition to 100’s he continued to view the purpose in addition to brighten the society with his personality in addition to spirit helping the society remain relaxed during our busy seasons in addition to entertained inwards our off seasons.

Mr. Costa graduated from Mechanical Arts High School inwards Boston every bit the starting fourth dimension high schoolhouse graduate inwards his family.  Over the adjacent few years John began dating Constance Helene Smith in addition to juggled his twenty-four hours task at the H2O meter society with playing music with the Jackie Ford Band. John was drafted into the United States of America Army inwards 1941 in addition to expected to hold upward discharged yesteryear the fourth dimension of his planned confine 1942 wedding. After Pearl Harbor the marriage ceremony was rescheduled to Dec. 28th 1941 in addition to his remain inwards the Army was extended.

Serving inwards the war, John was stationed inwards Ireland, England, Algeria, Morocco, Italy, France, Belgium, in addition to Germany. During his state of war machine duty John documented his experience with journals, photographs, in addition to letters to his ‘darling’ Connie.

After returning from the war, John in addition to Connie started a trouble solid unit of measurement in addition to settled inwards Avon with their 4 boys John, Paul, Donald & Bob. John oft worked iii jobs during this time. He spent his working years with the U.S. Postal Service, the Army National Guard every bit good every bit working every bit a custodian at Avon High School in addition to fifty-fifty working every bit a Driver Education Instructor. John retired inwards 1980 simply apace constitute a novel projection providing skills in addition to guidance to his boy Bob’s newly formed B.C. Tent & Awning Company.

In 2011, the society was proud to abide by John in addition to his contributions to the society yesteryear inducting him into the B.C. Tent & Awning Hall of Fame in addition to presenting him with the Golden Sledgehammer award. We every bit good created a John J. Costa Training Center inwards Dec 2014. Mr. Costa helped shape non exclusively the society simply all the individuals that he came into contact with through the years.

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