PARSIPPANY — The year was 1920-21 and the 100-year Spanish flu Global Pandemic was raging…well, globally. As we all know how the lockdowns affect couples, some worried that humanity will be wiped off and some just wanna have fun.
Pascal and Florina D’Costa were no different; they procreated for humanity and Urbano Thomas D’Costa was born in Tolecanto, Goa, India on May 25, 1921. They did not have blue masks then, they wore green banana leaves. Urban was born into a cautious and thrifty world, which would greatly affect his life. As a child, after “Mama” and “Papa” his third word was “Sensex” (Bombay Stock Exchange).
His father was a seafarer and his mother practically brought him up as a single-parent. God smiled on Urban and asked His servant, Padre Tellis, to nurture him. Father Tellis took it on himself to educate Urban through his schooling days, through his college days, and then, in 1947, got him a scholarship to Fordham University, NY to complete his Masters in Bio-Chemistry…he also received his US Green card during this period. He was in NY when the infamous headline “Dewey defeats Truman” in 1948, hit the Chicago Daily Tribune. Urban has a picture of Governor Thomas Dewey handing him an award! Upon completing his Masters, he returned back to Bombay and was immediately snapped up by the most beautiful woman, Antoinette! Urban did not know what hit him. He started working in Glaxo, Bombay, and thus began his long and fruitful life.
The past Pandemic was still at the back of his mind, and for the sake of humanity, Urban fathered four children.
Anita married Sachin and had Pria; Sandra married Colin and had Andrew and Nicole; Glen married Natasha and had Dion, Tyra, and Darren; and finally, Lester married Vinette and had Alyssa and Dylan. As you can see the Global population was now safe for any Pandemic that we may have in the future!
The year is 2020…Another 100-year pandemic has hit the globe…May 25, 2021, and Urban has made it to 100, beating both the pandemics! His biggest regret in life is that he took the lump sum retirement plan from Glaxo and not the continuing pension plan…Glaxo would have to file for bankruptcy if he did!!! His worst day was November 18, 2018, when his soul mate Antoinette went ahead before him to prepare their mansion in heaven. His advice to all of us is that we should be kind to one another and use the Walker every day…the Johnny kind (Feni would be preferable, where available).
On May 25, 2021, the family went to Lake George, NY to celebrate his 100th birthday. The family gathered there except for Darren (Singapore) and Tyra (London)…lockdown reasons. They had a great time with family and fellowship, and of course seriously taking his advice with the Walkers.
The good Lord has blessed Urban immensely and has kept His promise in Ruth 4:14: “Blessed be the Lord, which hath not left thee this day without a kinsman, that his name may be famous in Israel. And he shall be unto thee a Restorer of thy life and a Nourisher of thine old age.” And in Isaiah 46:4 “And I will still be carrying you when you are old. Your hair will turn grey, and I will still carry you. I made you, and I will carry you to safety.”
Thank you all for keeping Urban and our family in your prayers. We need your prayers and blessings on Urban as he prepares for this difficult transition to rejoin his bride Antoinette. God bless Urban and God bless you all. Let’s start counting down to 200.
Happy 100 year birthday Urban! May you live to be…a hundred and three !!!
