Melba (Costa) Gordon, 90, of Fairhaven, died September 1, 2022, at The Residence at Cedar Dell.
She was the wife of the late Henry E. "Skippy" Gordon.
Born in New Bedford, daughter of the late Manuel and Belmira "Mabel" (Mello) Costa, she lived in Fairhaven most of her life.
She and her late husband were the proprietors of Skip and Mel's Restaurant in Acushnet where she made her renowned kale soup and chicken soup. Previously she was a bus monitor on her husband's public school bus and then a bus aide for physically and developmentally challenged kids. In her younger days she was a nurse's aide at Tabor Street nursing home.
She enjoyed dancing and music, knitting, crocheting, and the company of her dog Max. She loved cooking for family, and there were many memorable clam boils and other feasts at their house on Eddy Street. She created a home where the door was always open to anyone.
Survivors include her son, Steven M. Gordon and his wife Jill of Acushnet; 2 daughters, Kathleen M. Smith and her husband Tom of Foster, RI and Lisa A. Gordon and her wife Julie Ozaydin of Bolton; 3 brothers, Daniel Costa and Ronald Costa, both of New Bedford and Raymond Costa of Ocala, FL; a sister, Hilda Conner of Fairhaven; 7 grandchildren, Stephanie A. St. Onge, Scott R. Gordon, Erin B. Hobbs, Brooke A. Fatula, Victoria L. Breitbach, Lily M. Smith and Henry I. Gordon-Ozaydin; 13 great-grandchildren; numerous nieces and nephews; and her wonderful friend Patty Osborne who loved and cared for her in later years.
She was the mother of the late Gary P. Gordon and the sister of the late Bernice Galligo, Lillian Lyle, Evelyn Farland and George Costa.
Her visiting hours will be held on Sunday, September 11th from 12PM - 2 PM with a service at 2 PM in the Saunders-Dwyer Mattapoisett Home for Funerals, 50 County Rd. (Rt. 6), Mattapoisett.