By Luke Voogt
Family, friends, dignitaries and past and present Geelong Cats have honoured former club president, businessman and philanthropist Frank Costa, who died earlier this month.
An estimated 2000 people attended a state memorial service at GMHBA Stadium on Wednesday for Francis Aloysius Costa, best known for his role in saving the Cats from financial ruin.
Mr Costa took over his parents’ grocery store as a young man and grew it into a national produce empire, while facing down corruption and threats from Melbourne’s Calabrian mafia.
Brother Robert Costa remembered Frank’s resolve when their business came close to collapsing in the 1960s.
A bank manager gave Frank two choices, sell the business or shut it down, saying “you boys have just bitten off far more than you can chew”, his brother remembered.
“Frank’s answer was very swift and emphatic. He looked us in the eye and he said, ‘we’re going to chew like buggery’. And he did.
“And Frank led the charge. Did he do it all alone? No, of course not. But the strength of his character and his indomitable will galvanised everybody around him.
“The team … he put together in that crisis, they would have walked through the Valley of Death for Frank.”
Mr Costa’s business success led to an invitation in 1996 to join the board of the Cats, who were struggling with major financial difficulties.
When he departed as president in 2010, the Cats had broken their 44-year premiership drought and secured funding for major upgrades at Kardinia Park.
After retiring as president, Mr Costa became the patron of the club and up to two dozen other organisations and charities.
He and his family donated millions of dollars in total to St John of God Hospital, St Mary’s Church, Geelong Community Foundation, Barwon Health Foundation and other causes.
He died on May 2, of cancer, at age 83.
Geelong Cats chief executive Brian Cook remembered his fallen comrade.
“The world is a much better place because of you, Frank,” Mr Cook said.
“I’m a much better person after spending the last 22 years with you.”
Friend and fellow businessman Lindsay Fox, Acting Premier James Merlino and Catholic priest Father Kevin Dillon all paid tribute to Mr Costa.
Mark Thompson, Joel Selwood and Chris Scott displayed the three premierships Geelong won after he joined the club’s board.
The service ended with a moment of silence and, fittingly, the final siren.
