Kalas Funeral Home & Crematory

Lieutenant Colonel William P. Cosgrove, USMC (Ret.), died peacefully on 22 November 2021 and went to his eternal home in Heaven to be with his Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. 
“Bill” graduated from Hope High School Providence RI in June 1941, received a congressional appointment to the US Naval Academy, and was sworn in as a midshipman in July 1941. He graduated as a member of the Second Company and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant USMC on 7 June 1944. Following officer training at Quantico VA he served as a replacement platoon commander in the Okinawa campaign. His other duty stations followed: North China, Camp Pendleton NROTC Unit Brown University, Marine Barracks Newport, RI, Rifle Company Commander Korea 1952, Quantico, VA Instructor Duty Basic School followed by Duty Under Instruction in the Amphibious Warfare School, Assistant Naval Attaché Belgrade Yugoslavia 1956 -1959 2nd Marine Division Camp Lejeune, NC, 1st Marine Air Wing Atsugi Japan, and Assistant Director Personnel Procurement 8th Marine Corps District New Orleans, LA. He reported to his final tour of Duty in July 1965 as the Marine Corps Representative and 1st Battalion Officer at USNA and retired from Active duty in August 1968.	

He was employed by the Westinghouse Learning Corp as an on-site Instructor in Leadership at USNA from 1968 to 1971. He was then employed by the Educational Technology Center Sterling Institute 1971-1974 working on a Spanish government project. He moved to the Logistics Management Engineering (LME) Company and worked as a Logistics Engineer for 15 years on projects working in Ireland and Saudi Arabia. In retirement, he continued his avid interest in tennis, sailing, delivering Meals-on-Wheels until the age of 95, as he said, “to the old people,” and other various volunteer work. A loyal and proud member of the USNA Class of 1945, he served as vice president for the class association, as chairman for the class’s 50th Homecoming, and later, was honored to be class president.

He was a devout Christian and Catholic and was a member of Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church.

Bill was preceded in death by two wives, Bertha Bailey Cosgrove and Elizabeth M. Cosgrove; and a son, John Michael Cosgrove

He is survived by his third wife, Blanche Miller Cosgrove; two children, Patricia (David) Cosgrove Miller and Anne (Al) Cosgrove Sparks; six grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

A memorial service will be held at Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church, 101 Owensville Rd., West River, MD on 3 January 2022 at 11:00 AM. Inurnment of his ashes will be held privately at his family’s plot in Providence, RI.

In lieu of flowers donations can be sent to the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation, 909 N. Washington Street, Suite 400, Alexandria, VA 22314 (or online at www.mcsf.org), or Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church, 101 Owensville Road, West River, MD 20778, or Meals-on-Wheels 515 South Haven Street, Baltimore, MD 21224. Please leave a condolence for the family by the signing the guestbook at the Memories tab on this page.

William P. Cosgrove

William P. Cosgrove

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