KATHARINE BOZENA COSTA (GRATHWOL)
Costa (Grathwol), Katharine Bozena, 85, died peacefully, February 15, 2019, in Albuquerque, New Mexico, with one of her many beloved godchildren, her niece Colleen Grathwol, by her side.
She was born on July 28, 1933, in Perham, Minnesota. She is preceded in death by ex-husband Alfredo Costa, parents John and Bozena Grathwol, brothers James and John Grathwol, and sister Mary Grathwol. Survived by brother Robert Grathwol, and numerous godchildren, nieces, nephews and friends. Kathy was an exceptional woman. A graduate of Washburn High School (1951) in Minneapolis, she earned a B.A. in English and French at St. Catherine University (1955) and an M.A. in Library Science at U of Arizona (1975), serving afterwards as a librarian for the majority of her career, at the Santa Fe Public Library until her retirement in 2002.
Kathy never forgot her Midwestern roots, but once she discovered the "Land of Enchantment" in NM in 1971, there was no going back and she remained a happily transplanted Minnesotan for much of her adult life. She pioneered regular storytelling hours in Santa Fe and began a children’s program that remains a fixture today. She was their most popular storyteller for years, delighting children all over the state and passing on her own love of literature. "Beautiful Auntie Kathy," as she preferred to be called, is fondly recalled by family and friends as a woman of grace, deeplyheld beliefs, glamour, decorum and style. Active in the AAUW and the Santa Fe community, she was an enthusiastic supporter of the arts, a Santa Fe Opera fanatic, an avid gardener, and a woman of deep faith. She will be remembered for her good-natured efforts to "civilize" her more uncouth family members, her sharp sense of humor, her keen intellect, and her lively wit.
Catholic Funeral Mass will be held at Our Lady of Guadalupe Chapel, 417 Agua Fria St, Santa Fe, NM 87501, on Monday, March 4, at 9 am, followed by a reception and brunch. Donations can be made to the Friends of the Santa Fe Public Library at http://santafelibraryfriends.org/Donate.html.