Obituary of Joseph M. Kowalski

Our dear brother Joe answered his final curtain call on January 6, 2025. He was 70 years old.  Costume design and theater were Joe's passion as well as his livelihood. He taught Costume Design and  Creation as well as other theater courses and supervised the Costume Shops at Western Illinois University and later at Iowa State University from which he retired in 2020.

Graduating from St. Patricks School and DeSales Catholic High School in Lockport, he went on to earn degrees from SUNY Geneseo (BFA), The University of Nevada Las Vegas (MFA), and The University of Southern California (MFA).

Joe worked for several years for the NBC Television Network in Los Angeles. He was a member of the production crew on the soap opera "Santa Barbara" where he worked on wardrobe and developed close relationships with stars A. Martinez and Robin Wright. He also did costuming for several NBC and Bob Hope Specials where he worked with Bob Hope, Liberace, George Burns, and Dolly Parton.

His fondest memories were of working with Lucille Ball on three NBC specials. He struck up a friendship with Ms. Ball in part because they were both from western New York. She invited Joe into her home where he helped her in choosing and making alterations to her own wardrobe for the TV specials while drinking wine and coffee and reminiscing about their WNY roots.

It was after leaving NBC that Joe began his teaching career as a professor at Western Illinois and later at Iowa State. He spent several summers doing costume design and creation for summer stock productions at several colleges in Pennsylvania and Virginia.

Born in Lockport on February 12, 1954, Joe was the son of the late John Vincent and Genevieve (Blonkowski) Kowalski. He was predeceased by sister and brother-in-law Gerry and Pete DeAngelo.  He is survived by brothers John W. Kowalski (Paula) and James A. Kowalski (Rosemary); numerous nieces, nephews, great and great-great nieces and nephews. He was loved and will be missed by all.

Memorial services will be held at a later date at the convenience of the family.