William P. Kosmas ’62

Bill died in London April 1, 2017, after a period of ill health.

Bill came to us from Southwest High School in Minneapolis, Minn. He majored in English, graduated magna cum laude, and won the Class of 1879 Junior Prize. He dined at Quadrangle and roomed with Clark Montgomery, Jay Gerber, and Mike Bortman. He was active in the Campus Fund Drive, St. Photios Foundation, and the Chapel Choir.

He chose law rather than medical school at Harvard, having been accepted at both. After earning a law degree, Bill joined the same New York City firm as Bob Poster ’62. He switched from an admiralty/maritime firm to one in publishing/arts, soon becoming a solo practitioner in these areas. In 1986 Bill moved his practice to London.

Bill’s clients included choreographer Twyla Tharpe, writer Jeff Moss ’63 (of Sesame Street), Federico Garcia Lorca’s estate, and Broadway conductor/musical director Paul Gemignani. Bill was executive director of Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts in New York City during the 1970s.

Bill collected artist books and works on paper, had a Persian rug/furniture importing business, helped establish a cooking school in Paris, and enjoyed Shakespearean tragedies and classical music. He loved France, and he had planned to build a retirement home near Gigondas.

The class extends its condolences to his brothers, John and James, and to their families.