Obituary of Francis J. Coscia

U. S. Navy Veteran Francis J. Coscia, age 89, of Stratford, died on Tuesday, December 29, 2009 in St. Vincents Medical Center, Bridgeport. Born in Bridgeport in 1920 Frank, as he was known, spent most of his years living and working in Milford and Stratford. He attended Milford High School and was both a semiprofessional boxer and semiprofessional football player in his youth. Frank served in the U.S. Navy during World War II in the South Pacific on the USS La Vallette #448 initially as a Mechanics Mate First Class. La Vallette saw heavy fire in the western South Pacific from January, 1943 to the end of the Pacific campaign and was severely hit twice, once by mines and once by torpedo and nearly lost. Frank was promoted to Chief Petty Officer at sea and was honorably discharged. After returning from the war, Frank worked as a sales executive for the Waterbury Pen Co. of Stratford and began to invest in real estate. In the late Sixties, he left his sales position and devoted his full attention to investing in and developing real estate and raising his three children. From that time to the late Eighties, Frank developed numerous residential subdivisions, multi family and commercial properties in Milford, Stratford, Orange and Deerfield Beach, Florida. Frank was a founding member of the Milford Redevelopment Agency during the 1970s and spent many hours implementing the redevelopment of the Walnut Beach and Silver Sands Beach area of Milford where he was born and spent his childhood and youth. He was the second son of the late Nicola and Mary Distasio Coscia. He was predeceased by two sisters, Catherine Novak and Violet Baldyga; and a brother, Fred Coscia . Frank was a true family man and a devoted son, husband, father and grandfather. He loved spending time with his family, gardening, good food and wine and the Yankees. He is survived by his loving wife of 58 years, Joyce Bernstein Coscia, two sons, Nicholas F. Coscia, Esq. of Cardiff, CA and Daniel S.J. Coscia of Burbank, CA; a daughter, Laurie M. Quatrella and her husband David L. Quatrella, Esq., of Trumbull; four grandchildren, Daniel and Alexandra Quatrella of Trumbull; and Francis S. and Daniel J. Coscia of Burbank CA; a brother, Nicholas Coscia and his wife Mary of Orange , Ct, two sister-in-laws, Bertha Coscia of Guilford and Jean Bernstein of Garden Grove, PA, a brother-in-law, Edward Baldyga of Irvine, CA and many nieces and nephews. Funeral Information A memorial service will take place on Friday, January 8, 2010 at 11:00 a.m. in the Abriola Parkview Funeral Home, 419 White Plains Rd., Trumbull. Friends may call from 10:00 a.m. to the time of service. Interment will be private and at the convenience of the family.