‘King of Geelong’
Family, friends and the who’s who of football, business and politics remember the remarkable life of Frank Costa at emotional Cattery send-off.
FOR all his mighty achievements in business and football, at his state memorial service in Geelong on Wednesday Frank Costa was remembered for his humanity, generosity and common touch.
Fittingly, the service was conducted on the western wing of the Kardinia Park stadium.
Not only did Mr Costa rebuild that stadium into the best sports venue in regional Australia, but it is less than
1km from the Moorabool Street shop where he started his billion-dollar business empire as a green grocer.
It was also where, as club president, he famously held the premiership cup aloft to 35,000 joyful Cats fans the day after the drought-breaking 2007 AFL premiership win.
Mr Costa was 83 when he died on May 2 after a yearlong health battle.
Trucking tycoon Lindsay Fox fought back tears, describing Mr Costa as the “King of Geelong”.
In fact, that was how Mr Fox said he addressed countless postcards to Mr Costa and his wife, Shirley, during their friendship of more than 50 years.
“And it always got to him,” he chuckled.
About 1500 people were at the stadium and 1700 watched it live online.
The gathering included the entire Geelong Cats playing list, former club greats and AFL heavyweights, including league chief executive Gillon McLachlan.
Former Victorian premiers Jeff Kennett, Ted Baillieu and Denis Napthine were there, as was Governor Linda Dessau and Brigadier Robert Marsh, representing the GovernorGeneral.
The Cats formed a guard of honour and presented a medal to Mrs Costa, formalising her husband’s ascension to legend status at the club.
Mr Cook said Mr Costa was “absolutely chuffed” when told of the honour a month ago, and plans were hatched to present the medal to him at his apartment on the Geelong waterfront on May 12.
Sadly, his health deteriorated. But Mr Cook said he was pleased to keep the appointment.
“Frank would’ve loved this,” he said.
Wednesday’s service followed a private funeral attended by Mr Costa’s closest family and friends at St Mary of the Angels Basilica in the morning.
The public event was Geelong’s first state-funded memorial in 15 years, and was a distinctly local affair, with radio identity Ian Cover as master of ceremonies and homegrown singer Tim McCallum showing his immense talent.
Mr Costa’s brother,
Robert, delivered a tribute, as did former St Mary’s parish priest Father Kevin Dillon, Geelong Cats chief Brian Cook and Acting Premier James Merlino.
They focused on Mr Costa’s personal qualities and values, rather than his prodigious achievements, such as building Australia’s biggest fruit and vegetable distribution business or rescuing the Cats and guiding them to a golden era.
Robert Costa made fleeting reference to his brother’s successes when opening his tribute.
“But today I’ll talk about a failure,” he continued.
He recounted how his older brothers Frank and Adrian expanded their fruit and vegie business in the late-1960s by buying out their main rival in Geelong, Watson & Co.
“It started off like a firecracker … but it wasn’t too long before cracks started to appear,” Robert Costa said.
“(The business was) drowning in debt, bleeding cash and being chased by angry creditors … it was a real mess.”
Calamity turned to tragedy in 1972 when Adrian and wife Mary were killed in a car crash. Then, the bank urged Frank to either sell or shut his business. But Robert said his brother took that as a challenge, and led the business out of the abyss.
“Frank’s answer was we’re going to chew like buggery. Frank led the charge,” he said.
By the 1990s Costas was the major fruit and vegetable supplier to supermarket giants Coles and Woolworths.
Robert Costa said his brother used that wealth to become a “quintessential philanthropist”, giving his time, energy and self to those in need.
Cats coach Chris Scott, captain Joel Selwood and former coach Mark Thompson ended Wednesday’s service by walking off the Kardinia Park turf carrying the premiership cups of 2011, 2009 and 2007.