Ines De Costa Obituary - Death Notice and Service Information

FALL RIVER, Mass. (AP) - Ines De Costa, the woman who taught celebrity chef Emeril Lagasse how to cook, has died, her daughter said.

De Costa died overnight in her sleep at her Fall River home after spending Friday cooking in a city athletic club kitchen, her daughter, Ines Bates, said Tuesday. DeCosta was 79.

De Costa had been suffering from heart problems for several years, her daughter said.

"She was a magnificent woman who thought food could fix anything," Bates said. "God was so good to her."

Lagasse did not immediately issue a statement Tuesday.

When Lagasse was a boy of about 9 or 10, he used to sit and watch De Costa in the kitchen of a restaurant she owned at the time in nearby Swansea when he visited with his family, Bates said.

Lagasse included many of De Costa's recipes in his cookbooks, although she was never afraid to scold him for fiddling with her ingredients.

"He put a recipe for her St. John's kale soup in one book, but she said he put in too much salt, and called to yell at him," Bates said. "Mom was a surprise guest on his TV show once, and she came out on stage and started yelling at him for messing up her recipes."

Lagasse maintained a loving lifelong relationship with the woman he called his second mother. He always checked in on her whenever he visited his home town, and she was a frequent guest at his New Orleans restaurant.

De Costa, known throughout Fall River as "Vo" - a Portuguese word for grandmother - ran the kitchen at St. John's Athletic Club for 33 years after retiring from the restaurant business.

De Costa was born in the Azores and moved to the U.S. in 1952.

In addition to her daughter, she is survived by two sons. Her husband, Manuel, died 22 years ago.

A public wake is scheduled for Thursday. A funeral Mass is scheduled for Friday at St. John of God Church in Somerset followed by burial next to her husband.

Copyright © 2011 The Associated Press

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We heard about your passing a few months too late and were unable to say goodbye. It was quite a shock as we go down to see our kids and grankids once or twice a year and make it appoint to see my adopted Vovo.

God looked upon your heart and soul and decided you have given your all to everyone you have met. He decided to take you home to rest and to be with your loving husband. He was pleased you gave of your tithings and love to help those inocent little children in orphanages...

Valerie Ramunno

November 21, 2011 | Bridgton, ME

Inez was a second mother to me. I am sorry to hear of her passing. She will always be part of my life. She gave me a chance to cook for her at St. John's and it was one of the most memorable times of my life. I now live in Florida and try to return to Fall River when I can just to see her. I will miss her smile and the heart she wore on her sleeve. You will always be my mom!

Russell Belanger-Justice

November 18, 2011 | Jacksonville, FL

Ines was one of the nicest people I knew. After moving to NH several years ago, I came to visit her in Fall River with my two sons who were now adults. She remembered us and wanted her picture taken with my sons. I will always remember her dedication to good food and her kind heart. We will miss you Ines, R.I.P.

Ron Sousa

October 16, 2011 | Lebanon, NH

Emeril, So sorry for your loss. From seeing you two on tv I know what a loss it must be. I too know the pain of losing a mother. God's Blessings..Kathy Collins, Faith, SD

Kathy Collins

September 30, 2011 | Faith, SD

Rest in peace
God Bless you
~INES DE COSTA~

Victoria&Andrew VZj

September 30, 2011 | Sacramento`Copenhagen`SLC, UT

she been in my life from the age of 7 my frist job was working for her in st jhon kitchen whit her and manny he would teach me one way and she would teach the other way as the years pass the more we grow in to a reship she all ways call me little frankie and my dad and mom mr and mrs almeida im so happy for have her in my life she was all the frist person i go see soon as walk in and the last person i would see when i leave . i seen her last week at the drs frist thing out of her...

frank almeida

September 30, 2011 | Fall River, MA

Ines De Costa was about Life and living it to the full through what she loved. Our Grand Creator loves life and gives us a real hope and comfort in the words of (John 11: 25,26) May you all have strength and peace during this most difficult time.

S L

September 30, 2011 | GA

THANK YOU FOR ALL THE MEMORIES...WE WILL MISS YOU....

LEZERIA MARSH

September 30, 2011 | VIRGINIA BEACH, VA

You will be missed!

Carla Massa

September 29, 2011 | Las Vegas, NV

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