Don E. Kosovac, USAF Colonel, retired

February 16, 1934 - December 26, 2023

Don E. Kosovac, USAF Colonel, retired, of San Rafael, Calif., passed away peacefully, in his home, surrounded by his family, on December 26, 2023. He was born into a Serbian immigrant family residing in Indiana Harbor (East Chicago) on February 16, 1934. He spent his youth as the youngest child of four to Danica Tatalovich (Kosovac) and Drago Kosovac. He moved west to attend the University of California, Berkeley, where he became a loyal Golden Bear. He studied Architecture and General Education while also fulfilling his commitment to the Air Force ROTC program. In addition, he was a member of the Phi Kappa Alpha fraternity and continued his faith and love of music, singing in the choir at St. John the Baptist Serbian Orthodox Cathedral in San Francisco.

Upon graduation in 1958, he was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant and entered active duty at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. He met his “Yellow Rose of Texas”, Caroline (Bitsy) Bachofen, and they were married in the Hill Country at her beloved family home, Pleasure Hill. During Don’s 30 years of active duty, he held numerous assignments, notably as a navigator in Vietnam, an instructor of navigation at the Air Force Academy, and lastly as the U.S. Defense/Air Attaché at the U.S. Embassy in Prague, the former Czechoslovakia.

Beyond Don’s esteemed military career, he spent his life as the patriarch of his family. He built two family ski cabins in Colorado and Lake Tahoe, where he taught his children and grandchildren his love for skiing. He also served as the “quarterback” of a four-decade long tailgate cheering on the Cal football team. In retirement, he and Bitsy continued a life of travel, he earned a contractor’s license, and taught carpentry classes at Laney College. He continued to give to his church community as President of the church board and to sing in the church choir with his beautiful bass sound. As a Cal alumni, he gave generously of his time and resources to the Class of 1958 gift to the Mark Twain Papers at UC Berkeley and created the Danica and Drago Kosovac Prize, a scholarship for students researching Serbian/ Montenegrin culture.

Don is survived by his loving wife of 63 years, Caroline “Bitsy” Kosovac; three daughters and sonsin-law, Cris (Todd) Adair, Diane (Brian) McKone, and Natalie (Chris) Kosovac; six grandchildren, Max, Jessica, Quinn (Emma), Sydney, Joseph, and Caroline; several nieces and nephews; and Kumovi. Preceding him in death were his parents, Danica and Drago; and his three siblings, Helen, Mike, and Jeanne.

At Ease to the Colonel, our loving husband, dad, and grandpa. Ziveli! Go Bears!

The service, burial, and reception honoring Don’s life will be held Thursday, January 4, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. at the Serbian Cemetery, 1801 Hillside Blvd., Colma, Calif. 94014. In lieu of flowers, please send gifts in Don’s memory to St. John the Baptist Serbian Orthodox Cathedral, 910 Baker St., San Francisco, Calif. 94115 or the Drago and Danica Kosovac Fellowship Fund, Institute of Slavic, East European, and Eurasian Studies, Attn: Jeff Pennington, 260 Stephens Hall, Berkeley, Calif. 94720 – 2304.