Gregory John Kossob died unexpectedly of cardiac arrest at home
on Nov. 23, 2003.
Gregory John Kossob died unexpectedly of cardiac arrest at home on Nov. 23, 2003.
He was born Nov. 21, 1952.
He was survived by his wife, Susan; sons Eric Kossob, Luke, Seth (DeAnn) and Richard (Kandi) Sanfilippo; grandchildren Ashley, Jeffrey, and Justin Sanfilippo, Dorion and Kabryna Woodlaw; brother Nick Kossob (Debby); nephews Nick, Jason and niece Theresa. He was preceded in death by his parents John and Katarina Kossob.
Greg was born in San Jose and lived in Sunnyvale and Morgan Hill his entire life. He graduated from Sunnyvale High School where he was active in football, wrestling and an avid surfer. He reminisced fondly of the Santa Clara Valley of old as a sea of fruit orchards. During Greg’s early years the family lived and worked in a local orchard after his parents immi-grated to San Jose from Austria where they had been displaced from the Ukraine and Russia by World War II. Greg’s earliest job was as a warehouseman in a local Sunnyvale cannery. He then obtained his license and worked as a general contractor.
Greg moved with his family to Morgan Hill in 1990. He changed careers and went to work for the City of Gilroy in the water department. He was active in the union at Gilroy and served a term as union president. He challenged himself to learn the water business and secured many state certificates. He traveled locally and to Nevada for water related conventions.
Greg enjoyed fishing and camping trips to Tuolumne, he was an avid trap-shooter. He loved to travel to Las Vegas and play slot machines. He enjoyed puttering in his yard where he grew fruit trees, pineapples, strawberries, grape vines and vegetables. Greg even made a tropical garden spot complete with palm trees and pink flamingos for his wife who was always homesick for Florida.
Greg was a beloved, kind, generous and unique man. He also had a unique sense of humor and a silly side to that humor that few ever saw. Greg will be deeply and forever missed.
Visitation was today at 9 a.m. with a funeral service at 11 a.m. at Johnson Funeral Home, 17220 Monterey Road, Morgan Hill. Interment will follow at the Serbian Cemetery in Colma.
