Joseph Costa, a retired shoemaker who immigrated to Pittsburgh from Italy and later served in the Army Signal Corps during World War II, died early Tuesday morning of complications from Parkinson's disease. He was 83.
Mr. Costa's son, Dr. Frank J. Costa of O'Hara, said his father injured his hip a couple of months ago and had been rehabilitating at Vincentian Home in McCandless.
"He was an ordinary man with extraordinary character and principles," he said. "He was proud and believed in working hard for everything he achieved."
Among his dreams after arriving in America was to provide his children with an education beyond the high school equivalency he achieved in Italy. And he succeeded.
Like Frank, Mr. Costa's daughter, Maria Costa-Greco of Fox Chapel, is a doctor. Antoniette A. Costa Barbuto of Hopewell is a pharmacist, Alfonso A. Costa of Fox Chapel is a dentist and Rosalia J. Costa-Clarke of Radnor, Delaware County, is a lawyer.
"He was very proud of us," said Frank Costa. "We were able to live his dream. Most immigrants came to the United States with nothing. He taught us that anything was possible."
Mr. Costa, along with his father, Fortunato, and brother, Anthony, emigrated from Italy in 1936. After settling in Pittsburgh, Mr. Costa's father worked in steel mills but was forced to return to Italy after he suffered a severe leg injury.
In 1941, Mr. Costa enlisted in the Army and served in the South Pacific, attaining the rank of sergeant.
After an honorable discharge in 1945, Mr. Costa returned to Pittsburgh and in 1951 married Antonietta LoPardo, his childhood sweetheart in Pompeii, Italy.
Mr. Costa and his new bride initially settled in East Liberty. He went to work as a shoemaker for Gimbels and Joseph Horne Co.
Throughout the 1950s and much of the '60s, Mr. Costa served as president of the local Shoemakers Union, fighting for better hours, wages and benefits for people who shared his craft.
But he always dreamed of owning his own shoe repair shop. In 1969, that dream was fulfilled when he opened a store in the Stanton Heights Shopping Center.
"Sometimes neighborhood kids would come in without any money and he would fix their shoes for free," said Frank Costa. "When people wouldn't pick up their shoes, he would give them away to the poor people in the neighborhood who needed them. That's the way he was."
In 1976, Mr. Costa and his wife purchased the building next door to the shoe store and opened Venice Pizza. They operated the business for more than 20 years.
In the intervening years, Mr. Costa enjoyed gardening, spending time with his 13 grandchildren, listening to opera and making Italian wines in his Morningside home.
In addition to his wife and five children, Mr. Costa is survived by two sisters, Rosalalia Silvaggio of Italy and Concetta Derenzo of Highland Park.
Visitation will be from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. today at John A. Freyvogel Sons Funeral Home, 4900 Centre Ave., Shadyside.
A Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. tomorrow in St. Raphael Church, Morningside.
Mr. Costa's son, Dr. Frank J. Costa of O'Hara, said his father injured his hip a couple of months ago and had been rehabilitating at Vincentian Home in McCandless.
"He was an ordinary man with extraordinary character and principles," he said. "He was proud and believed in working hard for everything he achieved."
Among his dreams after arriving in America was to provide his children with an education beyond the high school equivalency he achieved in Italy. And he succeeded.
Like Frank, Mr. Costa's daughter, Maria Costa-Greco of Fox Chapel, is a doctor. Antoniette A. Costa Barbuto of Hopewell is a pharmacist, Alfonso A. Costa of Fox Chapel is a dentist and Rosalia J. Costa-Clarke of Radnor, Delaware County, is a lawyer.
"He was very proud of us," said Frank Costa. "We were able to live his dream. Most immigrants came to the United States with nothing. He taught us that anything was possible."
Mr. Costa, along with his father, Fortunato, and brother, Anthony, emigrated from Italy in 1936. After settling in Pittsburgh, Mr. Costa's father worked in steel mills but was forced to return to Italy after he suffered a severe leg injury.
In 1941, Mr. Costa enlisted in the Army and served in the South Pacific, attaining the rank of sergeant.
After an honorable discharge in 1945, Mr. Costa returned to Pittsburgh and in 1951 married Antonietta LoPardo, his childhood sweetheart in Pompeii, Italy.
Mr. Costa and his new bride initially settled in East Liberty. He went to work as a shoemaker for Gimbels and Joseph Horne Co.
Throughout the 1950s and much of the '60s, Mr. Costa served as president of the local Shoemakers Union, fighting for better hours, wages and benefits for people who shared his craft.
But he always dreamed of owning his own shoe repair shop. In 1969, that dream was fulfilled when he opened a store in the Stanton Heights Shopping Center.
"Sometimes neighborhood kids would come in without any money and he would fix their shoes for free," said Frank Costa. "When people wouldn't pick up their shoes, he would give them away to the poor people in the neighborhood who needed them. That's the way he was."
In 1976, Mr. Costa and his wife purchased the building next door to the shoe store and opened Venice Pizza. They operated the business for more than 20 years.
In the intervening years, Mr. Costa enjoyed gardening, spending time with his 13 grandchildren, listening to opera and making Italian wines in his Morningside home.
In addition to his wife and five children, Mr. Costa is survived by two sisters, Rosalalia Silvaggio of Italy and Concetta Derenzo of Highland Park.
Visitation will be from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. today at John A. Freyvogel Sons Funeral Home, 4900 Centre Ave., Shadyside.
A Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. tomorrow in St. Raphael Church, Morningside.
Joseph Costa, a retired shoemaker who immigrated to Pittsburgh from Italy and later served in the Army Signal Corps during World War II, died early Tuesday morning of complications from Parkinson's disease. He was 83.
Mr. Costa's son, Dr. Frank J. Costa of O'Hara, said his father injured his hip a couple of months ago and had been rehabilitating at Vincentian Home in McCandless.
"He was an ordinary man with extraordinary character and principles," he said. "He was proud and believed in working hard for everything he achieved."
Among his dreams after arriving in America was to provide his children with an education beyond the high school equivalency he achieved in Italy. And he succeeded.
Like Frank, Mr. Costa's daughter, Maria Costa-Greco of Fox Chapel, is a doctor. Antoniette A. Costa Barbuto of Hopewell is a pharmacist, Alfonso A. Costa of Fox Chapel is a dentist and Rosalia J. Costa-Clarke of Radnor, Delaware County, is a lawyer.
"He was very proud of us," said Frank Costa. "We were able to live his dream. Most immigrants came to the United States with nothing. He taught us that anything was possible."
Mr. Costa, along with his father, Fortunato, and brother, Anthony, emigrated from Italy in 1936. After settling in Pittsburgh, Mr. Costa's father worked in steel mills but was forced to return to Italy after he suffered a severe leg injury.
In 1941, Mr. Costa enlisted in the Army and served in the South Pacific, attaining the rank of sergeant.
After an honorable discharge in 1945, Mr. Costa returned to Pittsburgh and in 1951 married Antonietta LoPardo, his childhood sweetheart in Pompeii, Italy.
Mr. Costa and his new bride initially settled in East Liberty. He went to work as a shoemaker for Gimbels and Joseph Horne Co.
Throughout the 1950s and much of the '60s, Mr. Costa served as president of the local Shoemakers Union, fighting for better hours, wages and benefits for people who shared his craft.
But he always dreamed of owning his own shoe repair shop. In 1969, that dream was fulfilled when he opened a store in the Stanton Heights Shopping Center.
"Sometimes neighborhood kids would come in without any money and he would fix their shoes for free," said Frank Costa. "When people wouldn't pick up their shoes, he would give them away to the poor people in the neighborhood who needed them. That's the way he was."
In 1976, Mr. Costa and his wife purchased the building next door to the shoe store and opened Venice Pizza. They operated the business for more than 20 years.
In the intervening years, Mr. Costa enjoyed gardening, spending time with his 13 grandchildren, listening to opera and making Italian wines in his Morningside home.
In addition to his wife and five children, Mr. Costa is survived by two sisters, Rosalalia Silvaggio of Italy and Concetta Derenzo of Highland Park.
Visitation will be from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. today at John A. Freyvogel Sons Funeral Home, 4900 Centre Ave., Shadyside.
A Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. tomorrow in St. Raphael Church, Morningside.
Mr. Costa's son, Dr. Frank J. Costa of O'Hara, said his father injured his hip a couple of months ago and had been rehabilitating at Vincentian Home in McCandless.
"He was an ordinary man with extraordinary character and principles," he said. "He was proud and believed in working hard for everything he achieved."
Among his dreams after arriving in America was to provide his children with an education beyond the high school equivalency he achieved in Italy. And he succeeded.
Like Frank, Mr. Costa's daughter, Maria Costa-Greco of Fox Chapel, is a doctor. Antoniette A. Costa Barbuto of Hopewell is a pharmacist, Alfonso A. Costa of Fox Chapel is a dentist and Rosalia J. Costa-Clarke of Radnor, Delaware County, is a lawyer.
"He was very proud of us," said Frank Costa. "We were able to live his dream. Most immigrants came to the United States with nothing. He taught us that anything was possible."
Mr. Costa, along with his father, Fortunato, and brother, Anthony, emigrated from Italy in 1936. After settling in Pittsburgh, Mr. Costa's father worked in steel mills but was forced to return to Italy after he suffered a severe leg injury.
In 1941, Mr. Costa enlisted in the Army and served in the South Pacific, attaining the rank of sergeant.
After an honorable discharge in 1945, Mr. Costa returned to Pittsburgh and in 1951 married Antonietta LoPardo, his childhood sweetheart in Pompeii, Italy.
Mr. Costa and his new bride initially settled in East Liberty. He went to work as a shoemaker for Gimbels and Joseph Horne Co.
Throughout the 1950s and much of the '60s, Mr. Costa served as president of the local Shoemakers Union, fighting for better hours, wages and benefits for people who shared his craft.
But he always dreamed of owning his own shoe repair shop. In 1969, that dream was fulfilled when he opened a store in the Stanton Heights Shopping Center.
"Sometimes neighborhood kids would come in without any money and he would fix their shoes for free," said Frank Costa. "When people wouldn't pick up their shoes, he would give them away to the poor people in the neighborhood who needed them. That's the way he was."
In 1976, Mr. Costa and his wife purchased the building next door to the shoe store and opened Venice Pizza. They operated the business for more than 20 years.
In the intervening years, Mr. Costa enjoyed gardening, spending time with his 13 grandchildren, listening to opera and making Italian wines in his Morningside home.
In addition to his wife and five children, Mr. Costa is survived by two sisters, Rosalalia Silvaggio of Italy and Concetta Derenzo of Highland Park.
Visitation will be from 2 to 4 and 7 to 9 p.m. today at John A. Freyvogel Sons Funeral Home, 4900 Centre Ave., Shadyside.
A Mass will be celebrated at 10 a.m. tomorrow in St. Raphael Church, Morningside.
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