euskalkultura.eus

07/06/2020 - Belmont, CA, USA

September 8, 1933 - July 6, 2020

Ysabel Ana Costanza was born to Damaso and Eduarda Urquiza in Santa Ana, California, where she grew up with two sisters on their family's small farm. Ysabel was proud of her Basque heritage--her parents had immigrated to the United States from Vizcaya Province in Spain--and she learned the values of working hard and building community while growing up among the orange groves and bean fields of southern California. Her parents also emphasized the importance of a good education and after graduation from Santa Ana High School, Ysabel attended the University of California at Berkeley, and graduated from Cal in 1954.

It was at Cal that Ysabel met the love of her life, Robert (Bob) Rocco Costanza and they married at St. Anne's Catholic Church in Santa Ana in 1956. Bob and Ysabel lived in Inglewood, California where their first daughter, Catherine, was born before settling in Torrance, California. They had two more daughters, Ann and Carol, and enjoyed years of supporting the various endeavors their girls became involved with. Ysabel was a perennial 'room mother' during elementary school years, Girl Scout Troop Leader, and faithful patron of St. James Catholic Church in Redondo Beach. She was also well-known in the community for her wine cake and pumpkin bread that became staples at many potlucks and family gatherings.

As her daughters became teenagers, Ysabel earned her teaching certificate and began to teach part-time until her youngest daughter went off to college. She then taught full time in the Torrance School district, including many years at West High School, where she was awarded the honor of 'Teacher of the Year' when she retired.

Ysabel and Bob were life-long sports fans, but most enjoyed cheering on their beloved Cal Bears. When Bob was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2000, his long-time friend and employer, Bruce Del Mar, established a scholarship fund at Cal in Bob's honor in recognition and gratitude for his engineering achievements. After Bob passed away, Ysabel faithfully connected with scholarship recipients each year to learn more about their endeavors and share information about Bob. In 2002, Ysabel moved north to be closer to her daughters and lived in the Bay Area at the time of her death.

Ysabel will be remembered for her sharp wit, love of libraries and literature, and never forgetting a birthday, anniversary or other important life event. She was a gracious hostess, and always took the time to connect with neighbors and people she met as part of her daily routines.

Ysabel is survived by her sister Maria, daughters and sons-in-law Ann and Sean DeLaat of Renton, Washington and Carol and Gary Castro of Redwood City, California, her five grandchildren Colleen, Kurt, Natalie, Mark, and Dominic, several nieces and nephews and many wonderful friends. She is preceded in death by her parents, beloved husband, sister Catalina, and daughter Catherine.

For the safety of our family and friends, no services are planned at this time.

(Obituary published in Sneider, Sullivan O'Connell's)