Obituary for Christopher J. Kosciuk
Our beloved son and brother, Christopher James Kosciuk, 69, passed away at his home in Bellevue, Kentucky, Nov. 20, 2019.
Chris was born in Detroit April 30, 1950, to Chester T. and Lillian (Mitrus) Kosciuk.
He attended Christ the King School in Columbus, Ohio, and graduated from Eastmoor High School in 1968. He attended Kalamazoo College on a track scholarship, graduating in 1972. While at Kalamazoo, Chris traveled to India and Ireland to write his senior paper on the works of James Joyce. He also spent a summer crewing on a brigantine sailing ship in the Caribbean.
He obtained his Juris Doctorate degree from Tulane University with the Class of 1977 and began practicing law with the firm Normann & Normann, specializing in maritime law. He practiced in New Orleans and later Texas.
Always an adventurer, Chris had a pilot’s license and pursued the mastery of aerobatic flying, performing snap and barrel rolls and all the major “stunts.” He sailed yachts large and small and made voyages from the Mississippi Gulf coast to Jamaica, Cuba and the Yucatan. He competed in both road bike and rowing events. He kayaked with his brother on the Upper Mississippi River and the Licking River. Chris was also an excellent archer and marksman.
Chris was an ardent conversationalist and could talk to virtually anyone about anything. He was well known for his Southern-style charm.
Chris suffered a life-threatening traumatic brain injury in 2007 after being hit by a bus while riding his road bike. Although he nearly died, he came out of a coma and, after many months of rehabilitation to regain his physical strength, linguistic and cognitive skills, he was able to live independently, and thrive, another 12 years.
Chris’ story is one of nearly miraculous recovery - which is perhaps his greatest success, of so many. He returned to his life, though forever changed, and with courage and determination Chris conquered great adversity and took much pleasure in his extensive hobbies, collections, books, music and museums until his passing.
He bought an older home near the Ohio River and renovated and decorated it to make it his own. As with everything Chris did, he did it with talent, passion and brilliance.
He was preceded in death by his father, Chester T. “Chet” Kosciuk.
He is survived by and will be ever held close in the hearts of his dear mother, Lillian McCartan, of Cincinnati; siblings, Barbara (Ron) Herr of Columbus, Steven Kosciuk (Betty Kaiser) of Madison, WI., and Carol (Jim) Marino of Kalispell, MT; niece Talia Marino (Oswaldo Najarro) of Sherman Oaks, CA., and nephew Luke Marino of Kalispell.
Visitation will be held at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 26, at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, 7820 Beechmont Ave., in Cincinnati. Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 10:30 a.m., with a luncheon afterward.
Chris was born in Detroit April 30, 1950, to Chester T. and Lillian (Mitrus) Kosciuk.
He attended Christ the King School in Columbus, Ohio, and graduated from Eastmoor High School in 1968. He attended Kalamazoo College on a track scholarship, graduating in 1972. While at Kalamazoo, Chris traveled to India and Ireland to write his senior paper on the works of James Joyce. He also spent a summer crewing on a brigantine sailing ship in the Caribbean.
He obtained his Juris Doctorate degree from Tulane University with the Class of 1977 and began practicing law with the firm Normann & Normann, specializing in maritime law. He practiced in New Orleans and later Texas.
Always an adventurer, Chris had a pilot’s license and pursued the mastery of aerobatic flying, performing snap and barrel rolls and all the major “stunts.” He sailed yachts large and small and made voyages from the Mississippi Gulf coast to Jamaica, Cuba and the Yucatan. He competed in both road bike and rowing events. He kayaked with his brother on the Upper Mississippi River and the Licking River. Chris was also an excellent archer and marksman.
Chris was an ardent conversationalist and could talk to virtually anyone about anything. He was well known for his Southern-style charm.
Chris suffered a life-threatening traumatic brain injury in 2007 after being hit by a bus while riding his road bike. Although he nearly died, he came out of a coma and, after many months of rehabilitation to regain his physical strength, linguistic and cognitive skills, he was able to live independently, and thrive, another 12 years.
Chris’ story is one of nearly miraculous recovery - which is perhaps his greatest success, of so many. He returned to his life, though forever changed, and with courage and determination Chris conquered great adversity and took much pleasure in his extensive hobbies, collections, books, music and museums until his passing.
He bought an older home near the Ohio River and renovated and decorated it to make it his own. As with everything Chris did, he did it with talent, passion and brilliance.
He was preceded in death by his father, Chester T. “Chet” Kosciuk.
He is survived by and will be ever held close in the hearts of his dear mother, Lillian McCartan, of Cincinnati; siblings, Barbara (Ron) Herr of Columbus, Steven Kosciuk (Betty Kaiser) of Madison, WI., and Carol (Jim) Marino of Kalispell, MT; niece Talia Marino (Oswaldo Najarro) of Sherman Oaks, CA., and nephew Luke Marino of Kalispell.
Visitation will be held at 9:30 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 26, at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church, 7820 Beechmont Ave., in Cincinnati. Mass of Christian Burial will follow at 10:30 a.m., with a luncheon afterward.