Jeanette P. Costa Cared for East Chop Families

Jeanette Florence Peters Costa, who cared for generations of a number of East Chop families for nearly 60 years until retiring at the age of 77, died on March 5, peacefully at her home on Dukes County avenue after a courageous battle of several years with cancer.

Born on March 26, 1916 to Virginia Bernard and John Peters, she was the widow of Manuel J. Costa. Until the age of 83, Jeanette enjoyed an active life of work and socializing with an abundance of friends and family. One would often see her driving her tropical green Geo donning the hat of the season; more often than not she was headed to East Chop to check "her homes," where she was affectionately known as Net.

Her primroses were a pride and joy to her as well as to the many who stopped by to take photos, especially under the rose-covered arch. She was an honorary member of the Holy Ghost Association.

She is survived by her daughters, Patricia A. Costa and Virginia A. (Ginny) Hall of Oak Bluffs; her sisters, Florence Peters Mathias of Lancaster, Calif., and Josephine Peters Pinto and her husband, Candido of South Yarmouth; her son in law, James J. Marshall of Vineyard Haven; her beloved grandchildren, James J. Marshall Jr. and his wife, Christine, of Malden, Nancy A. Marshall of Montague, Janet L. Marshall Lee and her husband, Nelson, of Leominster, Fred C. Hall and his wife, Helene, of Oak Bluffs and Heather Hall Holt and her husband, Leon, of Framingham; eight great-grandchildren, Kara Marshall of Maine, Tyler Kendrick of Montague, Lucas and Myles Holt of Framingham, Benjamin Marshall of Malden, Ryan and Justin Lee of Leominster and Skylar Hall of Oak Bluffs; her devoted nieces, Sandra Corellus of South Yarmouth, Elaine Costa Carroll of West Chop and an "adopted" niece, Mary Ellen Rogers of Oak Bluffs. Also surviving are a brother in law, Raymond D. Costa and his wife, Dorothy, of Santa Maria, Calif. She was predeceased by her daughter, Julienne Costa Marshall, a brother, Fred Peters, and a sister, Priscilla Peters Williams.

Her Funeral Mass will be celebrated at Our Lady Star of the Sea Church, Oak Bluffs at noon on Saturday, March 8, with her dear friend, the Rev. John Ozug, officiating. Her family will receive friends in the Chapman, Cole and Gleason Funeral Home in Oak Bluffs prior to the mass at 11 am. The committal will be in the Sacred Heart Cemetery. Donations may be made in her memory to the Holy Ghost Association Building Fund, P.O. Box 2203, Oak Bluffs, MA 02557; Hospice of Martha's Vineyard, P.O. Box 2549, Oak Bluffs, MA; or to the Visiting Nurse Association, P.O. Box 2568, Oak Bluffs, MA 02557.