TROY – Anthony Victor Costa, founder and president of A.V. Costa, Inc. in Troy, New York, passed peacefully from this life on Tuesday, March 20, 2018 at the age of 90.

Born in Troy, raised and educated in Watervliet, he was the son of the late Frank and Elizabeth (Daniels) Costa. Mr. Costa was a graduate of St. Francis Seraphic Seminary of Lowell, Mass. He was an Army veteran and served his country honorably during the Korean War.

In 1950, he founded “A.V. Costa, Inc.” in Troy, a nationally recognized bridal center which has assisted more than 75,000 area brides with their weddings. Mr. Costa was a well known area guest speaker who participated in many local and national bridal events throughout the years. Mr. Costa was very active in community and statewide affiliations. He was chairman of the annual “Christmas Drive” to benefit underprivileged children. He was a member of the New York State Conservation Council where he served as advisor to the president. He served on the committee for the Rensselaer County Branch of the Center for the Disabled. He was a life member of the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association serving as the organization’s public relations director. Mr. Costa served on the advisory committee for “Gifts and Decorative Publication,” a national gift store trade publication where in 1987, he was honored by the magazine with a six-page spread on the “A. V. Costa Bridal Operations”. In 1969, in association with the Rensselaer County Homebuilders, Mr. Costa established the area’s first bridal show.

Mr. Costa worked at Workers Compensation Board for 35 years, and served as 2nd Vice President of the statewide CSEA Organization.

He was the recipient of the 1985 NRA Commendation Award; the 1987 Henry W. Ristau Award from the NYSRPA for his dedication and statewide service; and the prestigious the Gold Shield Award from the Troy Police Benevolent Association in 1998 and 2006.

Mr. Costa was preceded in death by his sister, Barbara Lomascola, his brothers, Nicholas, Joseph, Frank, and Patrick. He is survived by his beloved wife Josephine A. (Galle) Costa; his loving son David (Anne) Costa; his cherished grandchildren, Angeline and Jacob Costa, his dear sister, Elizabeth Italiano, his dear brother, Peter Costa, and many loving nieces and nephews.

A sincere heartfelt thank you to Ann Connors, Angela Galle, Mark Pashkevich, Shannon Cechnicki for their decades of loyal service, and to all former employees of A.V. Costa Inc. Our family would like to acknowledge and thank loyal business partner Shirley Ellett for her lifetime of dedication and deep abiding friendship. The family would also like to thank the numerous aides, volunteers, and visitors over the last 4 years many from; Eddy Visiting Nurses Licensed Agency, Eddy Alzheimer’s and Dementia Services, Our Lady of Victory Team, Community Hospice and St. Peter’s Hospital Hospice Inn.

His funeral Mass will be celebrated on Monday at 10 am in Our Lady of Victory Church in Troy. The Rite of Committal and entombment will follow in the St. Francis of Assisi Mausoleum at St. Mary’s Cemetery in Troy. Friends are invited to attend and may also visit with Mr. Costa’s family on Sunday from 3 until 6 pm at the Parker Brothers Memorial, 2013 Broadway, Watervliet.

To those who wish to remember Mr. Costa in a special way, his family suggests donation be made to the Community Hospice, Gift Processing Center, 310 S. Manning Blvd., Albany, NY 12208.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of A. Victor Costa, please visit our Heartfelt Sympathies Store.

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