Evelyn Louise Costa died at home surrounded by loved ones, early Sunday, November 6, 2011, following a long illness. She was born Evelyn Louise Furtado on November 5, 1926 in Banta, California to parents Manuel R. and Olympia, and was raised in a family of five children on a dairy in the Tracy area. She married Manuel J. Costa and raised her three children on a farm between Tracy and Byron, California.
In 1980, she was elected to the San Joaquin County Board of Supervisors, where she served the Fifth District for three full terms until 1993 and became the first elected Chairperson of the Board of Supervisors of San Joaquin County.
With a strong bent toward agricultural preservation and strong local economies, Evelyn was acknowledged on several occasions by the California State Assembly and Senate for her commitment to the well-being of the Tracy and San Joaquin County communities. In 2001, preceded by her father for the same honor, she was inducted into the San Joaquin County Agricultural Hall of Fame.
Evelyn was a devoted and generous daughter, wife, mother, grandmother, community member and citizen. She had a love for family, country and the American way of life. Evelyn will be remembered for her great wit, loyal heart, steel fortitude, and beautiful smile. She will be missed.
Recently preceded in death by her husband; Manuel, Evelyn is survived by her son; Manuel and his wife Kathleen, her daughter Kathleen and husband Steve Pantell, her daughter Karenna, and her granddaughter Amelia, husband Tim Paulson and their two children Caleb and Morgan.
A rosary will be held for Evelyn on Tuesday, November 15, at 7pm at Fry Memorial Chapel in Tracy. Funeral services will be Wednesday, November 16, at 11am, also at Fry Memorial. A reception will follow the Wednesday service at Noon.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Family Caregiver Alliance, 180 Montgomery St, Suite 900, SF, CA 94104, or The Humane Society of the U.S, Dept MEMIT9, 2100 L St. NW, Washington, DC 20037.
Manteca (Calif.) Bulletin
Friday, November 11, 2011
