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View a eulogy for Joseph Peter Koz, USMA '65, who passed away on April 21, 2010.

Joseph Peter Koz

West Point, 1965

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by John Pickler on May 11, 2010:

Joe Koz was a spirited cadet and officer leader, a highly decorated combat fighter pilot and warfighter, and a role model who inspired those around him to the highest levels of performance. Undoubtedly, the influence of Coach Bobby Knight was apparent in his life; however, Joe had already developed strong leadership traits and competitive skills from his earliest years. I didn't have the advantage of knowing Joe well as a cadet, in large part due to our being in separate regiments and being involved in different sports and extracurricular activities. Nonetheless, I admired his athletic skills and enjoyed being around him whenever the opportunity allowed. In 1983-84, my family and I lived in a duplex at Fort Leavenworth with Joe's sister, Janice, and her husband, Jim Narel, so I had a year's worth of "what it's like to be in Joe's family" whenever we talked about our siblings and past experiences. Later in December 2002, I came across Joe at a social function in the Regency Apartments in McLean, VA, where we both rented a furnished apartment while working in the Northern Virginia area. Neither one of us knew the other was there, so we spent quite awhile catching up with events since cadet days. I left shortly thereafter for an overseas assignment with my company, so we were never able to reconnect, and I truly regret that. I am sure that my life would have been further enriched if I had the opportunity to have known Joe better; however, my memories of Joe are uniformly positive, and I offer my most sincere sympathy to his family and friends on his passing.

With deep respect, John Pickler (USMA Class of '65)

 
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