Obituary for Cosmo Francis "Cossie" Fospero
Cosmo “Cosie” Francis Fospero, Geneva NY Geneva Living Center.
Born January 25, 1922 in Livingston, Montana. He was a twin son of Carlo and Caterina (nee: Iannopollo) from Siderno, Italy. His mother and two sisters, Francis and Teresa left for America via the port of Naples on January 25, 1921 and exactly one year later, his mother gave birth to twin boys. His father worked for the Northern Pacific Railroad as a laborer.
His twin brother Paul Bernard, also of Geneva, pre-deceased him on August 17, 2012. According to Montana birth records, his mother lost two other sons in childbirth in 1923 and 1925. He is also pre-deceased by his two older sisters.
In 1925 his family left Livingston and moved to Geneva to join his mother’s brothers. Cosie attended St. Francis schools and graduated in 1939 from DeSales High School. He joined the Army AirCorps in 1941 and trained as a pilot and radio operator, learning Morse Code.
He spent some time in Rome after the war and eventually returned to Geneva. With a grant from the GI Bill, he attended Sampson State College. After a very short stint as a John Hancock insurance salesman, he removed his jacket and tie and joined his brother-in-law Salvatore (Sam) Minervino and his brother Paul in the bar business on Tillman Street. In the early 1950s he purchased the bar outright from Sam and ran it until 2008. The sign outside read, Sam’s Bar & Grill and it remained there forever. The bar (no grill) was a popular spot where local patrons, Cornell and HWS students and faculty mixed. He loved the business and loved his customers, many of whom had remained loyal until the end. His stories were endless and his natural instincts as a raconteur and guitarist allowed him to keep his clientele entertained and smiling.
He married June Bounds of Phelps on June 27, 1959.
Cosie was an avid tennis player and cyclist and dearly loved Geneva, particularly Seneca Lake State Park, where he had spent nearly every day of his elder adult life biking, walking, jogging and exercising - regardless of the weather.
He is survived by his wife and soulmate, June, four children, Carl (Helen) of London, England, Stephen of Geneva, Michael of Waterloo and Patricia (Lawrence) Hall of Mendon as well as five grandchildren, Lawrence, Nathan, Garrett, Francesca and Jack Cosmo as well as several nieces and nephews. He’ll be sadly missed by all.
Our family wishes to thank the amazing staff at the Geneva Living Center for looking after our parents so well throughout the last few years.
There are no plans for any memorial service at this time as Covid restrictions make it difficult.
Born January 25, 1922 in Livingston, Montana. He was a twin son of Carlo and Caterina (nee: Iannopollo) from Siderno, Italy. His mother and two sisters, Francis and Teresa left for America via the port of Naples on January 25, 1921 and exactly one year later, his mother gave birth to twin boys. His father worked for the Northern Pacific Railroad as a laborer.
His twin brother Paul Bernard, also of Geneva, pre-deceased him on August 17, 2012. According to Montana birth records, his mother lost two other sons in childbirth in 1923 and 1925. He is also pre-deceased by his two older sisters.
In 1925 his family left Livingston and moved to Geneva to join his mother’s brothers. Cosie attended St. Francis schools and graduated in 1939 from DeSales High School. He joined the Army AirCorps in 1941 and trained as a pilot and radio operator, learning Morse Code.
He spent some time in Rome after the war and eventually returned to Geneva. With a grant from the GI Bill, he attended Sampson State College. After a very short stint as a John Hancock insurance salesman, he removed his jacket and tie and joined his brother-in-law Salvatore (Sam) Minervino and his brother Paul in the bar business on Tillman Street. In the early 1950s he purchased the bar outright from Sam and ran it until 2008. The sign outside read, Sam’s Bar & Grill and it remained there forever. The bar (no grill) was a popular spot where local patrons, Cornell and HWS students and faculty mixed. He loved the business and loved his customers, many of whom had remained loyal until the end. His stories were endless and his natural instincts as a raconteur and guitarist allowed him to keep his clientele entertained and smiling.
He married June Bounds of Phelps on June 27, 1959.
Cosie was an avid tennis player and cyclist and dearly loved Geneva, particularly Seneca Lake State Park, where he had spent nearly every day of his elder adult life biking, walking, jogging and exercising - regardless of the weather.
He is survived by his wife and soulmate, June, four children, Carl (Helen) of London, England, Stephen of Geneva, Michael of Waterloo and Patricia (Lawrence) Hall of Mendon as well as five grandchildren, Lawrence, Nathan, Garrett, Francesca and Jack Cosmo as well as several nieces and nephews. He’ll be sadly missed by all.
Our family wishes to thank the amazing staff at the Geneva Living Center for looking after our parents so well throughout the last few years.
There are no plans for any memorial service at this time as Covid restrictions make it difficult.