Our Father on Father's Day

I remember what Scott said after first receiving his diagnosis and considering having to leave his children so early. At first he despaired, but  then he said: “I gave them a good start, though.” The ultimate optimist. 

So began my journey of hanging out with a hero.

Scott always put others first. He didn’t even know he was doing it. 

When Saul named this blog, little did we know the strength of a father would inspire me, and hopefully all of us, into the days ahead.  Many have remarked on how well the kids are doing. I think they have been affected as well.  

They saw the strength of their father. They experienced a love they never knew they had a capacity for. We all did. Yet this happened at Scott’s weakest, most vulnerable moments of his adult life. Isn’t that just how God works...

When does Jesus inspire us most? Is it at His strongest moments? Is it when he held back the raging sea, when he cleared the temple in his anger, or when he raised the dead at the dead’s own funeral?

I think it is when we remember Jesus on the cross, vulnerable, his body willingly beaten and bruised and bleeding, stabbed, full of grace and of power, forgiving us all, that he is most powerful.

I know Scott is in a better place. I saw it. He brought Heaven into this temporal realm for me. It’s inspiring, for lack of a better word. He changed my life when I met him. He changed my world as he left it.

We have a Father, a new Father to guide us. He is carrying me. He is looking after my children. Scott is with Him in the Heavenly Realms.

I am thankful that I don’t have to stop loving Scott.

I am blessed to be the woman he chose to love in this world.

Scott would spend his time more than anything else on his children. Consider our heavenly Father, who made each one of us to simply be in a relationship with Him and enjoy Him forever.

Which is what Scott is doing right now. God Bless us all.

_________________________________________

I would like to Thank You all for your support of reading this blog. Knowing you have been there and your care, concern, and prayers have always been a comfort and will continue to be. Whenever Scott found out the blog needed an update, he would send me off to make sure it happened.

Scott’s life story is still being written, in the hearts of his children as they live, in my life as I love, and in the way he has affected so many lives. I know he has, because so many have told me.

If I update the company blog with his news stories, it will be here. 

_____________________________________________

May God Bless your day.

Allison

Scott's Last Sermon

There was a time during treatment

When Scott was sitting down at home

and he was surprised to find he had passed out.

When he came to, the words to the song

“God Loves the Air I Breathe”

filled his mind.

He wrote down some thoughts

that he planned on sharing.

What follows is the last half

of those writings

 which I found in Scott’s Bible:

Revelations from Scott

 “God Loves the Air I Breathe.”

~

I was trying to pray, but I could not focus. I felt like I wasn’t getting God’s attention. Then I realized, God’s attention is on me all the time. Nothing is hidden from God. It was God that needed to get my attention…to have me put up my shield of Faith to combat or quench (put right out) those fiery arrows.

God has a plan. Be here today, spread His Word, and let Him touch your heart, give you a chance to get what I have become: “infected” with Jesus. Love all of my family and GROW my love for Him.

Love is not an easy task for me. I’ve asked him to show me about loving him. If I can’t love God, I can’t love myself. How then can I love my family or anyone else?

God loves the very air I breathe, so it all starts here: accepting His Love without question.

I want to be here for significantly longer.

I want to see my boys grow into men and become fathers themselves.

I want to walk my very charming and beautiful daughter down the aisle.

Who knows, maybe perform some of their marriage ceremonies.

Lest I forget to mention, bounce some of the scores of Grandchildren on my knees with Allison and just grow old with the absolute, positively exquisite wife God granted me almost 22 years ago.

So pray for my healing. God’s already doing it for my heart. Go ahead!

Pray that God’s Will be done, in my life and in yours.

Trust in Him that it is right;

Go forth in faith that He does have a Plan,

The Right Plan.

Scott D. Costa

“Last Sermon”

delivered by Allison 

to conclude

Scott’s Celebration of Life Service

June 13, 2012
~

        Scott always encouraged us to have faith in God's Plan, no matter what happened.

Scott's Eulogy

Scott David Costa was born April 26, 1957 at 11:07 a.m., the 4th youngest of five siblings, at Muhlenburg Hospital in N.Plainfield, New Jersey. He grew up nearby in the idyllic hills of Warren Twp., where he first grew into his love for vegetable gardening and probably observed his first plant/soil/insect interactions. He also loved being at the ocean and boats.

When Scott went to Kindergarten, he thought you had to be invited to play with the toys. He watched while the other children played. His feelings about the injustice of elitism, however misguided, would be with him his whole life. Scott felt a little “passed over” in the school system. However, when describing his young school years, he would say “I knew I had a brain.”

To me and to many who have known Scott, that is an understatement.

Scott grew into young adulthood during the turbulent late 1960’s and early 1970’s. He learned that it is alright to buck the “big boys” and say one’s peace, peaceably. That activist era of his growing up would stay with him. Some years later, after the election of a certain individual to the presidency of our country, he was so grieved for his country that he donned a sheet and carried a sign down the sidewalks of New Brunswick, New Jersey.

These feelings developed into someone who would speak out against injustice and act on it, even if it meant consequence for himself and sometimes, in later years, his family. 

Scott left high school to join the United States Navy in 1974 at the age of sixteen. He got his Mom to sign the papers. He rose quickly through rank and received an Honorable Discharge in 1977. Scott served on the ship United States Yarnell and traveled in Europe while in the Navy. His children and I have enjoyed many of his stories from these days.

Scott enrolled in college after leaving the military. Soon after graduating with a two year Liberal Arts Degree in 1981, his daughter Rebecca was born to him. He always said having Becky in his life pushed him to stay on track and keep going. Scott enrolled in more college.

He received a Bachelor’s Degree in Agriculture and then got his Master’s in Entomology, both from Rutgers University of New Jersey. He took a position in animal-drug discovery at Merck & Company in New Jersey where he worked for a few years. It is during this time that we met on a sidewalk when I was out petitioning one day for a safer rental community where we both lived.

Scott and I were inseparable from the day we met. We were married a year to the day after our first date, on July 13, 1991. Our son Saul was born ten months later in 1992. Scott held him first and had him named before handing him to me.

When I met Scott, he wanted to go back to school for his Ph.D. He was also unhappy working in animal-drug discovery. We made plans for him to go to North Carolina State University. During this time, we found out we were expecting again.

Caleb was born to us in North Carolina in 1993 just as Scott entered Graduate school . Caleb brought immediate joy into your household. Scott was able to spend a lot of time with us since he was a student living five minutes from the school. We lived in a nice old community just outside of Raleigh. Levi was born to us in 1996 on an icy morning and then the action in the house really picked up.

Scott helped with his Mom during some of these years since she lived in North Carolina and was ill. Seth was born to us at Thanksgiving-time 1997. Seth brought to our family warmth and the official status, by some standards, as a big family. Scott was now becoming famous as the producer of boys.

During all this, Scott found time to write his thesis and graduate with his Ph. D. in Entomology in 1999. He received a post-doctorate position at the University of Vermont. We arrived in Vermont in February of that year. Scott’s position moved to that of Research Assistant Professor.

During the summer of 1999 we purchased our first home, where we are now standing. We wanted to give our children the place to live that we always wanted. It is. We were just expecting our fifth child together as we closed on the house and property. Noah was born to us in 2000 and joined all the other babies on the farm: a foal, chickens, a cow, goats, and kittens…although he was the favorite by far.

The orchard was planted.

Scott got his tractor and cut his first land for his vegetable garden. 

Scott started attending church locally at the Waterville Church of the Nazarene in 2001, bringing all of us with him. He enjoyed being part of the church community and family. Aislinn was born to us in 2002. Whenever Scott looked at Aislinn, he glowed, and ten years disappeared from his already young face.

Scott’s commute was forty miles one way, five times a week. He hardly ever complained. Sometimes in winter, when the boys were small, he would arrive home to a driveway deep with snow. He finally let me hire a plow service when he’d be out there after midnight plowing.

Scott was a true visionary. Nothing was out of reach for him. Nothing was impossible. Over the years, he added to that courage and strength from the Lord.

Scott moved his office and lab to a different building at UVM in 2005. During this time he was just beginning the professional work that would be his main focus. Yet his real focus never wavered from being a father to his children and an attentive husband. He spent every spare moment with us and became known for bringing his children on research and work trips whenever possible.

Scott patented a technology with the University of Vermont in response to developing a common sense way to use fungi that is available as a pathogen to insects. This work was targeted at controlling an insect that is killing our national hemlocks. Scott was highly supported by the United States Forestry Service and had their confidence.

Scott and I started a company in 2007 to be able to market his invention. His work has been followed by the news, regularly, in every form of media. He has appeared in print, digital, been taped for television, been on news commentary in which we could all joking call him a re-run, and been on radio. He was asked regularly to guest speak or attend meetings in his field across the country.

He was still always willing to bring insects to any school or gathering and share their wonder with children. His message to children via the insects was that small things are incredible, unique, individual, and quite powerful. 

Scott heroically supported his family through the sudden loss of his sister-in-law in 2006. His children were a little older and he was freed up a bit to have a more pristine vegetable garden than had occurred in the past. He relaxed by grabbing a garden tool and having some time in the garden in the evening and on weekends. We ate from the vegetable garden all summer.

Scott always supported me in anything I needed or wanted to help make my life easier while caring for and educating our children. It is because of him there are two horses are in our backyard. His sailboat was our next goal.

Scott’s effect on his circle of acquaintances grew as his faith grew. He enjoyed going to the many get-togethers available to the Christian men in this community. Often his boys would be with him. He and Caleb were the most regular church attenders in recent years. They visited church every Sunday.

Sometimes our small churches needed a speaker to fill in, and Scott was happy to do it. He was used to speaking professionally in front of crowds, and he had a chance to share his faith. He also appreciated how speaking from the pulpit meant several hours of research with the Bible and Concordance on his own.

Scott developed what we and doctors thought was a back ache late in 2010. He suffered for all of 2011 and it was spring of 2012 before his illness was diagnosed. Scott’s ministry was most powerful and effective during the duration of his illness, for people inside and outside his family, including us.

Since Scott’s illness we have heard time and time again of Scott’s effect on people’s lives. Scott mattered to a lot of people, and he made a lot of people feel like they matter.

Some would say Scott was “jipped” out of some of his years or decades. Scott packed a lot of life into his time here. He lived enough in one day and in one moment for several people.

If you think about where Scott is right now, he has not been shortchanged at all.


Delivered by Allison at Scott's Celebration of Life, June 13, 2012 on our property.

Scott's Obituary

Dr. Scott D. Costa

Dr. Scott David Costa, 55, went into the arms of the Lord smiling on Wednesday, June 6, 2012 with his wife and loving family by his side. Scott was born April 26, 1957 in North Plainfield, N.J. and grew up in the hills of Warren Township, N.J. where he learned an appreciation for all living things from his mother’s and aunts’ vegetable gardens.

Scott left high school to serve in the United States Navy during the Vietnam Era, earning his GED diploma and quickly achieving the rank of Petty Officer, Second Class. He received an Honorary Discharge and took up post-secondary education which led to degrees in Agriculture and Entomology. After his marriage, Dr. Costa earned his doctorate from North Carolina State University in 1999 and was a Research Assistant Professor at the University of Vermont.

Scott developed a technology which is patent-pending with the University of Vermont. His plan for sampling Hemlock Wooly Adelgid has become an industry standard. Scott was awarded a licensing agreement from the University of Vermont and was developing a company with his wife at the time of his death. The impact of the loss of Dr. Costa’s talent and intellect is felt by colleagues throughout the United States and is certainly also a loss to future forest health.

Scott Costa married the love of his life, the former Allison M. Steiner, in New Brunswick, N.J. on July 13, 1991.  Together they have six children, five sons: Saul D. Costa, Caleb S. Costa, Levi A. Costa, Seth J. Costa, and Noah G. Costa, and one daughter: Aislinn Joy Costa. Also surviving is Scott’s daughter Rebecca L. Mikola and husband Michael of Daytona Beach, Florida.

Dr. Costa is also survived by his caring siblings Robert Costa of Maine, Kathleen Raymond of Iowa, Sandra Mattie and husband Joseph of Alaska, and Mario Costa of North Carolina.

He is also survived by his father’s wife of twenty-five years, whom he called Mom: Joyce Costa of North Carolina.

Scott is survived by his devoted mother-in-law, Linda E. Steiner, his father-in-law Norman L. Steiner, and loving brother-in-law Norman E. Steiner and wife Laura, all of New Jersey.

Scott is also survived by Allison’s paternal grandmother, Mary A. Steiner, of New Jersey, as well as many adoring nieces and nephews, loving aunts, and several cousins. He performed the marriage ceremony for niece Diana and husband John Gilkeson in 2008 in P.A.

Scott was predeceased by his parents, Robert S. Costa and Dorothy (Chapman) Costa, and in 2006 by his sister-in-law Dawn R. Katzman whose graveside service he performed.

Scott’s greatest joy was undoubtedly spending time with his children and family. His devotion as a father serves as an example to many, including his own children. He is greatly missed by all who love him.

Scott loved being in his vegetable garden and hoped to retire to it one day. He also enjoyed sailing, was a proficient skier, and loved being at the ocean.

Dr. Costa was a lay pastor for local area churches. His passion for God spilled into every area of his life, and he inspired many in their walk with the Lord. He will be sadly missed by his community.

A private service was held at A.W. Rich Funeral Home on June 7, 2012.  An outdoor service celebrating Scott’s life will be held at the family home on June 13, 2012 at 2 p.m., with reception to follow on the property courtesy of Waterville Ladies Aide.

Memorial contributions in Dr. Costa’s memory may be made to the Lamoille Area Cancer Network, P.O. Box 38, Lake Elmore, VT 05657. Contributions to the family may be made to the Scott Costa Victory Fund at Merchant’s Bank, Johnson, VT. 

 

~

Dr. Scott David Costa passed away

June 6, 2012 at 7:45 a.m. 

 smiling six times 

as he saw where he was headed.

~

There will be a Celebration of Life on our property 

as Scott wished

June 13, 2012

2:pm 

With Reception to follow

also on the property. 

I will write a final post here in time for Father's Day. 

Thank you, 

Allison Costa

 

Rain Before a Rainbow

Scott was sick for two days over Memorial Day and then his system just emptied out for three days. I think despite our best efforts he maybe had a virus that was going through our house. He rightfully so denied eating any foods because everything made him feel worse.

I had IV fluids with saline and glucose put into place with the help and care of several people in the medical community with whom we have been dealing. After two days, Scott told us he wanted to stop the IV therapy and that he would eat and drink his own food. And he did.

Fortunately, with our families here, God set the right people in the right place at all the right times to help us out.

My family from NJ had been here in two shifts and it was really rewarding and special and helpful.  My brother Norm took me on an errand Sunday and sat by Scott with me when Scott was most ill. Gardens were weeded. Our nephew-in-law Jason installed a screen door for us which is such a delight. Everyone did all they could to help us out. Everyone visited and love was in the room.

After that, three of Scott’s four siblings began arriving, as well as our friend Albee from New Jersey, and Scott's daughter Becky in Florida with her husband Mike. Connie came with Scott's brother Mario from North Carolina. Scott’s sister Sandy is here from Alaska and Bob from Maine is back with us. (We know sister Kathy in Iowa is with us in spirit!)

Like a midwife who comes to a birth, Sandy immediately began ministering to Scott after he had a few days without food. She has many ideas about healing that I absolutely agree with but that Scott and I had a hard time implementing by ourselves.

Sandy is feeding Scott nourishing broths that are more like liquid food therapy and easy for his body to assimilate. We have seen several good signs that strength is returning, including color to his cheeks and a talkative nature. Scott joked with me the last few days after waking up and has been making me laugh!

Spending any time with Scott is immensely peaceful. You just want to sit there and soak in the vibes. It’s beautiful. Our children visit him individually all day long. They stop in to check on him and sometimes chat or give him a kiss or touch his hand.The older boys have had two full nights sleep now as other helpers have taken what we call "the night shift."

After getting through last week’s illness, Scott has elected to begin taking his new pill form of chemotherapy.

As usual, I just don’t know what to tell you. Some people have tried having end-of-life conversations with me. I think it’s premature. My husband is still alive, sharing love with me and making me laugh.

People say to be prepared. Well, I am—as much as one person can possibly be. We have had those “what would you do” conversations long ago, as people do, way before we even knew Scott was ill. I think that just like any other time, God would direct me. That is my answer.

I appreciate so much all the cards and notes and support. The cards are all taped to a wall behind Scott. There are so many. Scott has given us all a beautiful river of life and love to immerse ourselves in while caring for him.

I hope you are all well. Thank you for your prayers. I ask you to pray for Scott as much as you can over the course of this next week. I can’t thank you all enough for being here and there for us and for him. 

God Bless you all. 

please note: this post shows Scott as author because my account would not let me sign in