Sheila E. [Lussier] [Costa] Silva, 77, of North Truro died peacefully, Wednesday, May 27, in Harbor Point at Centerville, where she resided for the last year. She was the wife of Richard ‘Dickie’ Silva who passed away on March 25, 2020.
Born in Somerville, the daughter of the late Alexander J. and Gertrude (Rose) Lussier, she grew up in Wellfleet and attended Wellfleet High School. When that school closed, she attended and graduated from Nauset Regional High School. She married Jerome L. Costa in 1960. They settled in Provincetown and had four children.
In 1976, Sheila went to work for the Town of Provincetown as the Assistant Treasurer. Later she became the Town Clerk, a job she held until her retirement in 1996.
From 1983 to 2003 Sheila was a Justice of the Peace, performing 594 weddings during that time. She performed weddings at the beach, on the pier, at Highland Lighthouse (one of her favorite lighthouses), on the dunes, on boats, at the top of the monument and many other places. Her claim to fame was performing the marriage ceremony of Robert Woods who played Bo Buchanan on the soap opera One Life to Live.
In 1985 she married Richard A. Silva. They spent many happy years together traveling to Florida, Colorado and Foxwoods.
Sheila loved anything to do with lighthouses; puzzles, potholders, pictures, statues, blankets, etc. Her grandchildren would often try to count the lighthouses and would lose track somewhere around 100. Known as Nana or Grandma to her grandchildren, she always kept her ceramic goose cookie jar filled with gummies for her little visitors.
A huge Elvis Presley fan, she collected Elvis memorabilia and loved listening to his music. She was also known for singing along to Bobby Vinton and had a fond memory of seeing him at the Cape Cod Melody Tent.
Sheila enjoyed cross stitching and working with plastic canvas. She loved giving her projects away as gifts not only to her children and grandchildren but also to many friends and even to the people whose marriages she performed.
She leaves her children, Christine Roderick and husband Ryan of Milbridge, ME, Karen Silva and husband Paul of Provincetown, James Costa and wife Jennifer Neargardner of Colorado Springs, CO and Michael Costa and wife Simone Ivy of Provincetown. A sister, Ann Bronsdon of Wellfleet, ex-husband Jerome Costa and his wife Christina of Truro, step-daughters Marie Hopkins and husband Junius of Sandwich, Judith Reece and husband Dennis of Texas, Robin Millard, Bonnie Colon, her husband Ronald and Anne Boulos and husband Thomas, all of Southbridge, Beth Angelini and her husband Bill of Attleboro, and Betty-Jo Silva of Harwich survive her. She also leaves twenty-six grandchildren, twenty-six great grandchildren as well as many nieces, nephews and friends.
Due to the current health crisis and resulting government restrictions, Sheila’s funeral will be private. Burial will be in Provincetown Cemetery. A Memorial Visitation with the family, honoring Sheila’s life, will be held at the Gately Funeral Home in the fall, at a date and time to be announced.
If desired, contributions in Sheila’s name can be made to Carrie A. Seamen Animal Shelter, 5 Sandy Hill Lane, Provincetown, MA 02657.