John M. "Chet" Acosta

John Acosta Obituary

ACOSTA, JOHN M. "CHET" John M. "Chet" Acosta, a retired youth counselor and beloved family man, died of heart failure Thursday, Oct. 20, at Riverside Community Hospital. He was 66. He was born in Riverside and grew up on the city's Eastside as the youngest of eight children. He attended St. Francis School through high school and was a star football player, winning the Daily Enterprise Most Valuable Player Award in 1956. Mr. Acosta graduated from Riverside City College and took a job with the California Youth Authority. He worked at CYA facilities in Chino, Oak Glen and Norwalk, retiring from a 30-year career in 1993. A devout Catholic, Mr. Acosta was a longtime parishioner at St. Catherine of Alexandria Catholic Church in Riverside. After retirement, he attended daily Mass and the recitation of the Rosary. He loved watching television, including science and history programs and sports such as football. He enjoyed golfing and classical music. Humble, kind and compassionate, Mr. Acosta was a dedicated and beloved husband, father, grandfather, uncle, son-in-law, brother-in-law and father-in-law. Mr. Acosta is survived by his wife, Carmen; sons Gabriel, Mark and Michael of Riverside and Philip of New York City; and daughter, Christina of Riverside. He also is survived by many nephews and nieces, including Rosann Howell of Colton; sisters-in-law Dolores Sanchez and Maria Sanchez of Riverside; and mother-in-law Susie Sanchez of Riverside. He is survived by daughters-in-law, Laura Acosta of Riverside, and Dr. Sharon Huston of New York City as well as future son-in-law Gregory Short of Riverside. He leaves behind two grandchildren, Zachary and Gabriella Acosta of Riverside. Visitation will be Wednesday, 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Acheson and Graham Garden of Prayer Mortuary, Riverside. The Rosary will be recited Thursday at 9:30 a.m., followed at 10 a.m. by the Mass of Christian Burial at St. Catherine of Alexandria Church, Riverside. Burial will follow at Olivewood Memorial Park, Riverside. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations to the John M. "Chet" Acosta Memorial Scholarship Fund, which is being established to help students in need of tuition assistance at St. Catherine of Alexandria School in Riverside. For information, contact a family member or the school, (951) 684-1091.

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Published by The Press-Enterprise from Oct. 23 to Oct. 24, 2005.

Memories and Condolences
for John Acosta

3 Entries

Mary Ann Coffelt Schmitt

October 27, 2005

My high school memories of Chet and his brother Victor are prominent in my mind. He was the essence of kindness and gentleness. He was an unforgettable man.

Gregory Short

October 27, 2005

I met Chet in 2002. I came over as his daughter's friend. Christina wasn't home yet, so I sat in the kitchen with him. He started talking to me like he had known me for years. I could barely get a word in edgewise, and when I finally did I realized that I hadn't introduced myself. "I'm Greg, by the way," I managed. "Yeah," he replied. In his very next breath, he was back on yet another subject. It felt more like he was trying to catch up with an old friend than make small talk with the stranger that I was. I have never felt more welcome in anyone else's home. Chet did that.

Now, I am engaged to his daughter! When I asked him permission to marry Christina, he said, "She's the one that has to live with you." I thought that was the perfect tension-breaker, and we both chuckled. Then, kidding aside, he said yes. He offered advice from his own experience. And that was that. Yet again, he managed to put me at ease. It takes a sensitive, intuitive person to be able to do that.

I spent almost every Sunday morning before church sitting and chatting with Chet. He'd offer me coffee. "You'll have to warm it up," he'd explain. Man, he could brew a good cup of coffee. Even if it was a day or two old.

He is and always will be my role model for daily living. I admire him greatly. His life, though far too short for those he left behind, was a full and successful one.

I will miss him more than I can express.

Sharon Huston

October 24, 2005

Chet was an amazing man whom I met 17 years ago. I was 17 years old and he was my friend Philip’s dad. Upon our first meeting, I was a bit intimidated—he was a big guy, strong, jet-black hair, handsome, quiet, and soft-spoken. Of course it wasn’t but a few meetings that I realized what a gentle, humorous, loving, and sweet man he was. I think my first fond memory was of how funny he was! He could make me laugh and he always had a smile. His home was always open to visitors, always open to family, to friends. I always felt welcome and at peace in his presence. Over the years, I really began to appreciate his sense of humor, his ability to laugh at things in life that could get you down, his sense of knowing what was really important in life. He had the power of faith, the power of family. I cannot ever recall him speaking a bad word about anyone. He lead his family by example. I will miss him tremendously.

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