Elsie Costa Goncalves

Elsie Costa Goncalves of West Sacramento, CA, passed away at 98 years old on December 19, 2024, in Sacramento CA.  She had family and friends by her side all week before she went peacefully and made her journey to be with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.

Elsie was born on October 15, 1926, in the Country of Cabo Verde, on the island of Brava, and was the daughter of the late Alfredo Jose da Costa and the late Adelia Barros da Costa. She was the beloved wife of the Late Lucas Jose Goncalves and the loving mother of nine beautiful children: Maria Jose Catana, John Pierre Goncalves and his wife Mary Ann, Antonio (Tony) Lucas Goncalves, Daniel (Danny) Lucas Goncalves and his wife Jeannine, Adelina Lucas (Goncalves) Aguirre and her husband Jason, Jesssilene Goncalves and her Fiancé Randall Keller , the late Manual da Rosa, the late Antonio da Rosa and the late Jean Paul da Rosa.

She was the Dear sister of the late Olivier DaCosta, the late Manuel Barros Costa, the late Victoria Viegas, the late Antonio DaCosta, the late Maria DaGraca, the late Madalena Andrade, the late Maria Alice Bala, and Matilde Ribeiro (Tia Duke) of Portugal. She was blessed with over 28 grandchildren, over 30 great-grandchildren, and one great-great-grandchild.

After she married Lucas, they moved to Ivory Coast Dakar Senegal, and then to Abidjan.  After a few years, Lucas left for the United States, leaving her with his 3 sons, John, Tony & Danny and pregnant with their daughter Adelina, so he could get settled and then send for them.  Elsie, in 1967, journeyed to the United States with the 4 kids landing in New York and then flying to Sacramento. After a couple of years, she and Lucas made West Sacramento their home, where she lived for over 56 years.

At first, Elsie started a home daycare in Broderick, CA, now known as West Sacramento, for the Cape Verdean families.  Her daycare grew over the years.  She ran her daycare, at a fair price, for over 30 years taking care of over 6 to 8 kids daily in addition to her 5 kids that were in the home.  She was tough but loving and had the biggest heart.  She was well known for her love of Cape Verdean creole cooking and baking.  She was part of the small Cape Verdean community of West Sacramento/Sacramento and loved maintaining those relationships.

She was a devout Catholic and cherished her Christian faith, which instilled the love of God in her children and encouraged them to always trust in God.  She will be missed by all.

Elsie Goncalves’s funeral services will be held at St Mary Cemetery & Funeral Center, 6509 Fruitridge Rd, Sacramento, CA 95820.  Viewing will be on Friday, January 17, 2025, at 5 pm to 8 pm and we will be sharing our happy memories along with a slide show of her life. Mass services and burial will be on Saturday, January 18, 2025, at 1 pm with a reception to follow.  All will be held at St. Mary’s Cemetery & Funeral Center.