Vera O'Rourke Costa
Birth: 7 Jun 1904, San Francisco, CA
Death: 3 Dec 1991, Mendocino, California
Spouse: Joseph David Costa
Birth: 26 Feb 1902, San Francisco, California
Marriage: June 20, 1925
Death: 5 Apr 1987, Napa, California
Vera, the youngest of Delia and Martin’s children was born on June 7, 1904, on Harriet Street St. Patrick’s Parish. The area was destroyed in the 1906 Fire when she was only two. (Her sister Maude remembered being told by their mother, “Put your little sister in the wagon and run for the hills!”) Vera grew up in the house at 216 Texas Street, on Potrero Hill. She most likely attended Irving M Scott Grammar School, like her sister Maude. According to the 1940 US Census, she had a two-year high school education. She probably attended Mission High School. By 1920, she had entered the workforce as a telephone operator, like several of her cousins.
After her siblings married and moved out, Vera and her parents moved from Texas Street house in 1921, and, by 1923, were living in the flats at 1170 Hampshire Street, just across Potrero Avenue in the Mission District. Shortly after that, she met a young man in the neighborhood named Joe Costa.
Death: 3 Dec 1991, Mendocino, California
Spouse: Joseph David Costa
Birth: 26 Feb 1902, San Francisco, California
Marriage: June 20, 1925
Death: 5 Apr 1987, Napa, California
Vera, the youngest of Delia and Martin’s children was born on June 7, 1904, on Harriet Street St. Patrick’s Parish. The area was destroyed in the 1906 Fire when she was only two. (Her sister Maude remembered being told by their mother, “Put your little sister in the wagon and run for the hills!”) Vera grew up in the house at 216 Texas Street, on Potrero Hill. She most likely attended Irving M Scott Grammar School, like her sister Maude. According to the 1940 US Census, she had a two-year high school education. She probably attended Mission High School. By 1920, she had entered the workforce as a telephone operator, like several of her cousins.
After her siblings married and moved out, Vera and her parents moved from Texas Street house in 1921, and, by 1923, were living in the flats at 1170 Hampshire Street, just across Potrero Avenue in the Mission District. Shortly after that, she met a young man in the neighborhood named Joe Costa.
Joseph David Costa was born on February 26, 1902, in San Francisco. He was the oldest of the five children of Joseph A. Costa, a San Francisco teamster, and Sadie Lennon of New Jersey. Joe was a third generation San Franciscan of Italian descendant, whose family had come to the City in the 1850s and grandmother was a Cuneo (a large and influential San Francisco family). Joe grew up in the Mission District at 812 Florida Street near 20th. He had an 8th grade education, graduating from Horace Mann Intermediate School. By 1920, Joe was working as a machinist in the SF Shipyards. By 1923, he was living at 2395 – 20th Street with his parents and was working as a barber. Joe and Vera married on June 20, 1925, and he moved into 1170 Hampshire Street with Vera and her parents. Martin and Delia would move up to Agua Caliente that year, but Vera and Joe would remain in the house until 1937, at which point her sister Maude and her family would move in there.
In 1926, Joe suffered the tragic loss of his father. On November 29, 1926, Joseph, Sr., and his brother David went to visit his uncle, Gabriel Cuneo, in Oakland. They had dinner. Gabriel finished early, went in the other room, and came out with a revolver (or a shotgun, depending on which newspaper is viewed), shooting Joseph twice and then turning the gun on himself. There had been not argument or provocation. Apparently, Gabriel had suffered a head injury in an auto accident some months before and was unbalanced. At the hospital, the 55-year-old Joseph refused to press charges. Both men died later and Joe, Jr., became the man of the family. Joe’s mother would live five more years and die in 1931 at the age of 57.
During the Depression, Joe supplemented his barber’s income with an upholstery business. According to his obituary, he owned an upholstery shop on Washington Square, but it does not appear in the Polk-Langley Directory and his occupation is consistently listed as “barber.” According to his obituary, he sold mattresses door-to-door in Half Moon Bay before moving to Napa.
In 1935, the Costas move up to Agua Caliente where they lived with Vera’s parents for a time. By 1937, they had bought the house at 1069 Terrace Drive in Napa. Marty McKinney remembered it as a large house on three acres, with plenty of property out back for a couple of beautiful horses. The Costas also had dogs, usually three or four. Marty said each seemed to have his or her own couch.
In 1926, Joe suffered the tragic loss of his father. On November 29, 1926, Joseph, Sr., and his brother David went to visit his uncle, Gabriel Cuneo, in Oakland. They had dinner. Gabriel finished early, went in the other room, and came out with a revolver (or a shotgun, depending on which newspaper is viewed), shooting Joseph twice and then turning the gun on himself. There had been not argument or provocation. Apparently, Gabriel had suffered a head injury in an auto accident some months before and was unbalanced. At the hospital, the 55-year-old Joseph refused to press charges. Both men died later and Joe, Jr., became the man of the family. Joe’s mother would live five more years and die in 1931 at the age of 57.
During the Depression, Joe supplemented his barber’s income with an upholstery business. According to his obituary, he owned an upholstery shop on Washington Square, but it does not appear in the Polk-Langley Directory and his occupation is consistently listed as “barber.” According to his obituary, he sold mattresses door-to-door in Half Moon Bay before moving to Napa.
In 1935, the Costas move up to Agua Caliente where they lived with Vera’s parents for a time. By 1937, they had bought the house at 1069 Terrace Drive in Napa. Marty McKinney remembered it as a large house on three acres, with plenty of property out back for a couple of beautiful horses. The Costas also had dogs, usually three or four. Marty said each seemed to have his or her own couch.
DIn Napa, Joe and Vera opened The Washington Square Upholstery and Mattress at 1246 Main Street. They later moved it to 950 Pearl Street. The business lasted until Joe’s retirement 30 years later. Part of the shop included a mattress factory. This became the backbone of the business as Joe and Vera were awarded a lucrative government contract to supply the US Army with mattresses during the War.
Vera and Joe were avid horsemen. They belonged to the Napa Valley Horseman’s Association for many years. The NVHA was founded in October of 1939, shortly after Vera and Joe moved to the area, as the Napa Valley Horse Lover’s association. According to their Mission statement, the purpose was to educate the community about horses, training of horses and the benefits of owning and working with horses; to provide and support training clinics, horse shows and other educational functions; to provide scholarships to deserving students from Napa County; to provide opportunities for disabled or disadvantaged children to ride and care for horses; to provide facilities for community events, including fundraising for other nonprofit organizations; to maintain open space suitable for horseback riding for community access. In the early days, they held events such as horse shows and picnics at the Napa Valley Expo. After the Expo was demolished in 1949, the non-profit organization bought a new home on a converted dairy farm on Foster Road. The facility featured two arenas, a clubhouse and a 20-stall barn where members – including those without sufficient space at their own homes – can board their animals and store horse trailers.
Joe also belonged to the Napa County Sheriff’s Posse. Organized in 1949, the Mounted Posse was a group of men and women who, because of their riding abilities, were activated in times of emergency and performed search and rescue missions in the hills and during floods. According to their website:
This dedicated group of men and women assist the Sheriff's Department throughout the County of Napa when the need arises for unique talents of horse and rider. Though the Posse's primary function is the performance of search and rescue, they are activated during local emergencies, such as floods, as an integral part of the public service team. Whether involved in the charitable or civic events, local parades, or lending a hand to deserving organizations, the Posse takes pride in their support of the community.
In addition to emergency and civic service, the Posse has donated medical and hospital equipment to different organizations for decades. Some examples of their spirit include presenting the first respirator for paramedic use in the Lake Berryessa area and car seats to local service groups for transportation of needy children to doctors. They also make available wheelchairs, walkers, and other accessories to the public at no charge.
As a member of the Posse, Joe was also an honorary member of the Napa Rod and Gun Club.
Vera was quite the animal lover. Besides the horses, she always had dogs, and she even bred bulldogs. Later in life, she switched to cats. Her grandnephew Brian O’Rourke said, “She must have had 50 cats in the garage when I visited.” Her grandniece Patty O’Rourke Duffy, who lives in the North Bay and saw the Costas often, said Vera stayed in touch with the rest of the family, in part, by using her passion for animals to maintain contact. She made dog beds for each family member who had a pet and tried to get a dog to those who did not have one. Her nephew Francis’ dog Tuffy was gotten through Vera.
Vera and Joe were life-long, devout Catholics. Whether it was at St. Theresa’s on Potrero Hill, St. Charles Borromeo in the Mission, or St John the Baptist Church in Napa, they were weekly communicants and very active members of their parishes.
Vera was always very close to her sisters. Despite living so far away, Vera always came down for any family celebration to occured. She, Maude, and Irene could always be found together when there was a family get-together, be it Christmas dinners, baby showers, or funerals. In 1977, Irene died. Vera convinced Maude to move to Napa to be close to her and to escape the increasingly unsafe Mission District. Maude moved in with Vera temporarily before moving to nearby Mark West. She had lived alone or with Irene for ten years, and she did not want to be a fifth wheel with Vera and Joe.
Ten years later, Joe became ill and was admitted to Kaiser Hospital in Vallejo. He passed away on April 5, 1987, after 61 years of marriage. He was 85 years old. After a Mass of Christian Burial at St. John the Baptist Church in Napa, he was laid to rest in the Costa Family plot (Section D, row 2, Area 3, Grave 4 ) in Holy Cross, Colma. According to his obituary, loved traveling and growing vegetables.
Vera and Joe were avid horsemen. They belonged to the Napa Valley Horseman’s Association for many years. The NVHA was founded in October of 1939, shortly after Vera and Joe moved to the area, as the Napa Valley Horse Lover’s association. According to their Mission statement, the purpose was to educate the community about horses, training of horses and the benefits of owning and working with horses; to provide and support training clinics, horse shows and other educational functions; to provide scholarships to deserving students from Napa County; to provide opportunities for disabled or disadvantaged children to ride and care for horses; to provide facilities for community events, including fundraising for other nonprofit organizations; to maintain open space suitable for horseback riding for community access. In the early days, they held events such as horse shows and picnics at the Napa Valley Expo. After the Expo was demolished in 1949, the non-profit organization bought a new home on a converted dairy farm on Foster Road. The facility featured two arenas, a clubhouse and a 20-stall barn where members – including those without sufficient space at their own homes – can board their animals and store horse trailers.
Joe also belonged to the Napa County Sheriff’s Posse. Organized in 1949, the Mounted Posse was a group of men and women who, because of their riding abilities, were activated in times of emergency and performed search and rescue missions in the hills and during floods. According to their website:
This dedicated group of men and women assist the Sheriff's Department throughout the County of Napa when the need arises for unique talents of horse and rider. Though the Posse's primary function is the performance of search and rescue, they are activated during local emergencies, such as floods, as an integral part of the public service team. Whether involved in the charitable or civic events, local parades, or lending a hand to deserving organizations, the Posse takes pride in their support of the community.
In addition to emergency and civic service, the Posse has donated medical and hospital equipment to different organizations for decades. Some examples of their spirit include presenting the first respirator for paramedic use in the Lake Berryessa area and car seats to local service groups for transportation of needy children to doctors. They also make available wheelchairs, walkers, and other accessories to the public at no charge.
As a member of the Posse, Joe was also an honorary member of the Napa Rod and Gun Club.
Vera was quite the animal lover. Besides the horses, she always had dogs, and she even bred bulldogs. Later in life, she switched to cats. Her grandnephew Brian O’Rourke said, “She must have had 50 cats in the garage when I visited.” Her grandniece Patty O’Rourke Duffy, who lives in the North Bay and saw the Costas often, said Vera stayed in touch with the rest of the family, in part, by using her passion for animals to maintain contact. She made dog beds for each family member who had a pet and tried to get a dog to those who did not have one. Her nephew Francis’ dog Tuffy was gotten through Vera.
Vera and Joe were life-long, devout Catholics. Whether it was at St. Theresa’s on Potrero Hill, St. Charles Borromeo in the Mission, or St John the Baptist Church in Napa, they were weekly communicants and very active members of their parishes.
Vera was always very close to her sisters. Despite living so far away, Vera always came down for any family celebration to occured. She, Maude, and Irene could always be found together when there was a family get-together, be it Christmas dinners, baby showers, or funerals. In 1977, Irene died. Vera convinced Maude to move to Napa to be close to her and to escape the increasingly unsafe Mission District. Maude moved in with Vera temporarily before moving to nearby Mark West. She had lived alone or with Irene for ten years, and she did not want to be a fifth wheel with Vera and Joe.
Ten years later, Joe became ill and was admitted to Kaiser Hospital in Vallejo. He passed away on April 5, 1987, after 61 years of marriage. He was 85 years old. After a Mass of Christian Burial at St. John the Baptist Church in Napa, he was laid to rest in the Costa Family plot (Section D, row 2, Area 3, Grave 4 ) in Holy Cross, Colma. According to his obituary, loved traveling and growing vegetables.
For a short time, Maude moved in with Vera. but Maude was slowing developing Alzheimer’s. Maude moved to a home in Willits, near her daughter-in-law and grandchildren. Vera came to visit when should could. On December 3, 1991, while visiting Maude, Vera died suddenly. She was 87 years old. After a Sunday night Rosary at Claffey and Rota Funeral Home and a Mass of Christian Burial at St. John the Baptist Church in Napa, she was laid to rest with Joe in the Costa Family plot in Holy Cross, Colma. Having no children, she left the house and all her animals to a neighbor who had cared for her and Joe in her waning years.
Patty Duffy called Vera was “a special person.” Vera was also much beloved within the family. Though she had no children of her own, she was always supportive of her nieces and nephews, as well as the generation that came after that. She and Joe were always active in their community, whether in their Church, the Horseman’s Association, or the 4H. Vera had a great deal of pride in the Napa community and her place in it, as well as her place within the O’Rourke clan.