Kosztarab, Matilda

Matilda Kosztarab, 89, a 1957 emigre from Hungary, died in her sleep on June 25, 2013, at the Kroontje Health Care Center in Blacksburg. Mrs. Kosztarab, a member of St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in Blacksburg since 1963, was active in the church in many capacities. She served at various times on the Building Committee, the Landscape Committee, the Parish Council and was a long time member of the church’s Women’s Guild. Mrs. Kosztarab was also active in the Virginia Tech Faculty Women’s Club for over 40 years.

She was born on February 28, 1924, in Budapest, Hungary. As a graduate of the Academy of Commerce in Budapest in 1942, she worked for the Commerce Bank of Budapest, and later she was a fiscal officer for the University of Agricultural Sciences in Budapest. After marrying Michael Kosztarab, an entomologist and professor in Hungary, and after immigrating to the United States, she worked as a translator and indexer for the Chemical Abstracts in Columbus, Ohio for two years. In 1965 she moved to Blacksburg, where for 15 years she worked at Virginia Tech as a part-time cataloger of insect literature for the United States Department of Agriculture. As a result of the cataloging work, Mrs. Kosztarab has published, in co-authorship, three research bulletins. Upon her retirement, Mrs. Kosztarab was an avid member of the Fit Over 50 exercise classes at the Blacksburg Recreation Center. She also served in the Blacksburg Interfaith Food Pantry. Throughout her marriage of 59 years to Michael Kosztarab, she traveled extensively around the world accompanying him on his many research trips. She also frequently entertained researchers and graduate students coming to Virginia Tech and was most generous with providing temporary housing for students when they first arrived. Her parents Istvan Pinter and Veronika Czifra are both deceased. She is survived by her husband, Michael Kosztarab, her daughter, Eva Kosztarab, her son-in-law, Kenneth M. Kastner and her grandsons, Gregory and Matthew Kastner. A memorial service will be held at St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in Blacksburg at 1205 Old Mill Road at 10 a.m. on Saturday, June 29, 2013, followed by a reception. Afterwards, her ashes will be interred at the Westview Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, a donation can be made to the Virginia Tech Foundation for the Kosztarab Entomology Scholarship Fund and sent to 902 Prices Fork Road, Suite 4500, Blacksburg, VA 24060. Funeral arrangements by McCoy Funeral Home in Blacksburg.