Frank Costa dies age 83 as Geelong mourns one of its favourite sons

Geelong is mourning the death of Frank Costa, one of the greatest and most influential figures in the history of the city.

Frank Costa, former president of Geelong Football Club, shows the premiership cup to fans during a street parade to honour the team down Malop Street in Geelong in 2007. (AAP Image/Andrew Brownbill)

Frank Costa has died.

A legend of Geelong’s business, sport and social scene, Costa died peacefully Sunday morning, aged 83.

The father of eight daughters, died a fortnight after he and wife Shirley marked their 61st wedding anniversary.

Costa had been battling ill-health for about a year.

FEATURE: The remarkable life of Frank Costa

In the lead-up to Geelong’s appearance in last year’s AFL grand final, the Cats formally requested media refrain from seeking interviews with Costa — a former club president, patron and benefactor — because of his health concerns.

Although he never played a game for the club, Costa will be remembered as perhaps the most influential figure in the Geelong Football Club’s history.

Frank and Shirley Costa at their waterfront apartment. Picture: Peter Ristevski

He joined the board in 1996 and was made president just two years later.

But the club was in diabolic financial strife and at risk of being forced to play all its home games in Melbourne.

Costa was at that stage one of Australia’s most successful businessmen.

He had grown a humble family fruit shop on Moorabool St into a national fruit and vegetable empire, and his shrewd leadership style proved the tonic for Geelong.

With Brian Cook appointed as chief executive officer, Costa managed to keep the Cats in Geelong, and started the rebuild of the Kardinia Park stadium.

The off-field successes flowed on-field, culminating with the drought-breaking 2007 premiership, and the follow-up in 2009 before Costa’s retirement in 2010.

But Costa’s legacy in Geelong was so much more than football.

He was a generous philanthropist and fierce advocate for the community.

Even in his late 70s he maintained a formal role as patron of up to 25 different organisations and charities.

The Committee For Geelong and Barwon Regional Youth Council were among the organisations that benefited from his leadership, and he gave generously to St John of God Hospital and Geelong’s St Mary’s church.

Frank Costa on Corio Bay in 2016. Picture: Mike Dugdale

In a 2014 interview with the Geelong Advertiser he explained his close connection with the church.

“St Mary’s has been pretty prominent in my life,” he said.

“I was chair of the appeal to do the place up. My parents were married there, I was baptised there, I had my First Communion, first confession. Shirley and I got married there and seven of our eight daughters were married there. The eighth one was married up in Daylesford; she didn’t want a big wedding.”