Obituary of Juanita Costa

Warren: Lieutenant Colonel, (retired) Juanita Costa died early Thursday January 8, 2004 at Somerset Medical Center in Somerville. She was a 101 years old. A long time resident of Warren Township, she was a retired Lieutenant Colonel of the United States Army Nurse Corp. and an enthusiastic active attendee, until the time of her death, of the Warrenbrook Senior Center. Born on July 27th 1902 in New York City, she was the oldest of ten brothers and sisters. After high school she taught commercial courses in Connecticut and Massachusetts secondary Schools. During the middle years of the Roaring Twenties she was married for a time to the New York Times drama critic, Wayne Haisley. Later, in the 1930s she attended Cornell University School of Nursing in New York City. She later pursued degrees in nursing and hospital administration from various other institutions culminating in a Masters Degree from Baylor University in Texas. She held various nursing and teaching positions leading to the start of a long and distinguished career in the Army Nurse Corp in 1942 a career that spanned 20 years and ended in her retirement at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, the highest rank available to a woman in military service. During this time she served as director of nursing services in Army General Hospitals in New Guinea, Japan, Australia, New Zealand, Egypt, Africa, Italy, and Germany finally retiring as director of nursing services at Valley Forge Army Hospital. She then embarked on a 10 year post as director of the nursing staff of Saint Peters General Hospital in New Brunswick. After finally retiring from her nursing career she became an avid cook, traveler, crafter, and immersed herself in the company of her brothers and sisters and her many nieces and nephews both here and in the other parts of the country. She drove her car until she was 96. She is survived by three of her five sisters, Grace Fiori and Liberta Riesz both of Warren, and Santa Spears of Palm Coast, FL; and one of her five brothers Robert Costa of Wilmington NC. Juanita was most recently honored in a county ceremony for her war time service and acknowledged at that time as the oldest living World War II Veteran in Somerset County. Her many military awards include the Bronze Star, Asian Pacific Campaign Medal, Philippine Liberation Ribbon and the National Defense Service Medal. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 am on Sunday, January 11th at Higgins Home for Funerals, 752 Mountain Blvd., Watchung. Interment will be at Springdale Methodist Church Cemetery in Warren. Visitation will be on Saturday, January 10th from 2-4 & 7-9 at the funeral home.