Louise Costa Yapp of Vineyard Haven died at home surrounded by her loved ones including her beloved caregiver and friend, Martha Feurtado on May 18. She was 99.

Louise was the second of four children of John and Margaret Costa. She was Island born and as a matter of fact, she was both born and died in her family home in Vineyard Haven.

Louise started school in kindergarten at the Tisbury School, which was a K-12 school at the time. She felt fortunate to be with all her same classmates all the way through, including graduation from the Tisbury High School in 1944

Her goal was to become a RN, so she joined the Cadet Nursing Corp, which paid for her education as an incentive to attract nurses to serve our country. She understood she could be asked to serve in combat zones to care for our troops. Thankfully, World War II ended just as she completed her three-year nursing training program, which had gone from 1944-1947.

Louise was very proud to receive her registered nurse diploma degree. She had trained at Morton Hospital in Taunton and affiliated at the V.A. hospital in the Bronx, N.Y., Boston City Hospital and Taunton State Hospital.

After her training, she returned to the Vineyard to help care for her mother who had a stroke. She worked for many years as a private duty registered nurse and in 1976 at the age of 50, she began work at the Martha’s Vineyard Hospital in acute care where she helped so many people for 20 years. She retired at 70 after 40 years of nursing you couldn’t miss her because of her pristine uniform and her unique cap.

Louise met the love of her life, Robert James Yapp, who was originally from Fond du Lac Wisconsin. He was stationed on the Vineyard serving in the Coast Guard during World War Two as a Yeoman third class. She was a senior in high school and met Bob through his fellow Coast Guard friend, Warren.

After she graduated from nursing school in 1947, and after a year of dating, Louise and Bob got married on the Vineyard in 1948 and moved into the family home. In 1953 Louise and Robert had their first son, Robert, and their second son, Mark, in 1957.

She was a devout Catholic and was a member of St. Augustine’s Church in Vineyard Haven. She loved knitting, crocheting coasters, sweaters, scarfs and pot holders. She loved the color red, cardinals, writing cards to friends and walking. She loved taking trips, near and far, with her beloved husband Bob. Also, she was very proud of her Portuguese heritage.
Louise was quite a walker, in fact many of you know her from her walks up and down Edgartown Road during early morning hours, waving to people with her walking stick with an American Flag, flowers or dove attached. So many people have said it put a smile of their face which started their day off right.

She was so thrilled when her grandson Scott Yapp was born in 1986, and she had many wonderful family celebrations with him. In 2023, Scott and his wife Melisa gave Louise twin great grandchildren, Dashel and Jade, and she was thrilled to spend time with them.

Louise was predeceased by her husband Robert James Yapp, her parents John and Margaret Costa, her sister Laura (Costa) Ivory, her brothers George A Costa, and Joseph A Costa.

She is survived by her son, Robert W Yapp and wife Debra of West Tisbury, son Mark G Yapp of Acushnet, grandson Scott R Yapp and his wife, Melisa, of Billerica, and twin great grandchildren, Dashel and Jade Yapp of Billerica MA. and many nieces and nephews.

Louise was a wonderful wife, mother and nurse and will be remembered through the many lives she touched.