Dear Friends and Family of Donald Richard Coss (91):
It's with a heavy heart, strengthened with God’s good grace, that we announce our family loss. Donald peacefully and quickly passed away 9/06/2024 at Hospice in Zephyrhills, Florida (concurrent with a recent hospitalization in New Port Richey involving complexities overcome by Covid and pneumonia.) The world lost a wonderful person (father of 4, grandfather of 8 and great grandfather of 12) and we will never be the same without him in our lives. We can only hope to keep his memory alive and
would love your help in doing this. In lieu of a scheduled public memorial or funeral, the families (spread out across the US) will be having private celebrations of life in dad’s honor, and he will be buried with military honors at Florida National Cemetery located in the Withlacoochee State Forest, approximately 50 miles north of Tampa in Bushnell FL, arranged through https://www.southernfuneralcare.com/. Please, no floral arrangements. In lieu of flowers, make a donation to the charity of your choice.
"He has achieved success who has lived well, laughed often and loved much”
Ecclesiastes 3:1-2a:
“For everything, there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die…”
ABOUT DON:
Dad was born 4/22/1933 in Jersey City, New Jersey at the peak of the Depression, the son of Francisco (Frank) Coss and Mary Irene (Fahey) Coss. Frank Coss was born in Puerto Rico 12/3/1912 the son of Jose Edmundo Coss (Mexico - born 1881) and
Augustina Trapaga (Puerto Rico - born 1883). Mary Irene (Fahey) Coss (born 10/11/1912) was a daughter of George Fahey and Lena Klink (of Irish and German descent). Dad had one sister, Joan Coss Danish (1931-2022).
Dad was raised in Weehawken & Union City, New Jersey “in the Shades”, (a neighborhood next to the Lincoln Tunnel that is in the shades of the Palisades.) He graduated from St Joseph’s High School in West New York, NJ in 1951, and he served in the US Army from 1953-1955 during the Korean War stationed in Ansbach, Germany during the European Occupation. He served as a vehicle parts logistics corporal in charge of ordering and receiving all necessary parts for all Army vehicles in Europe. Upon return, Dad married Barbara Schuck 9/10/1955 …his one and only high school sweetheart. They were class President and Secretary from St Joseph’s High School in West New York, New Jersey, Class of 1951.
After struggling a few years upon discharge from the Army, Dad worked at Todd Shipyard Hoboken. He worked with the steel trade and finally became a shipfitter mechanic. He studied briefly at Mechanics Institute in NYC to develop Mechanical and Architectural skills. In 1965 Todd Shipyards closed in Hoboken and he was offered a position in Galveston Texas. He started as a Marine Estimator and escalated to Assistant General Manager of Production. The Coss family of 3 boys (Michael, Steven and Douglas moved south and settled in La Marque Texas with the later addition of Kevin in 1970. At Todd Shipyards in Galveston, Dad had many prized projects. One favorite was converting all Galveston/Bolivar ferries by lengthening and widening them in the Mid 1970s. He also bragged of repairing the Calypso, the infamous research vessel of renowned oceanographer, Jacques Cousteau who seldom left his ship, even in drydock.
Dad left Galveston and took a position in 1980 as VP of Production at Tampa Shipyards, subsidiary of American Shipbuilding, owned by NY Yankee’s owner George Steinbrenner. Residing in Valrico Florida, he later took some out-of-state short-term assignments in 1994, spending some time in Newport News, VA and Mobile Alabama before fully retiring back home in Valrico FL. In 2005 he celebrated his 50th Wedding Anniversary with his bride, Barbara, with all family present. After Mom’s passing in 2013, Dad relocated to New Port Richey where he was closer to several family members at the time. He enjoyed his daily 1/3-mile walks, and occasionally did some paintings over the years. He also loved shooting billiards, watching sports, particularly golf, basketball and baseball. And he constantly bragged about his family of four sons, several grandchildren and many great grandchildren.
Dad is survived by his four sons Michael [Sara] Coss, Steven [Geralyn] Coss, Douglas Coss and Kevin Coss, and grandchildren Megan (Coss) Geiger, Kristen (Coss) Justice, Katie Coss, Matt Coss, Nate Coss, Ryan Coss and Kelsey Coss (along with spouses) plus 12 great-grandchildren: Gabriel, Aidan, Maddie, Olivia, James, Ellie Joy, Brave, Victory David, Georgia, Juda, Ester, Eden Joy.
Dad was preceded in death by wife Barbara Coss (2013), sister Joan [Coss] Danish (2022), grandson Phillip Coss (2020) and granddaughter Shannon Coss (1990).
Graveside services will be held 10:30 A.M. Tuesday, September 17, 2024, at Florida National Cemetery, Bushnell, FL.
Previous Events
Graveside
17
Sep
6502 S.W. 102nd Avenue
Bushnell, FL 33513
