Michael John Kostrna

HIGHLAND MILLS - Michael J. Kostrna of Highland Mills, New York was called home to God on Wednesday, October 8, 2025, following a brief illness.
Born and raised in the Bronx, New York, Michael enjoyed a carefree and joyful childhood playing in the streets and schoolyards surrounding Chatterton Avenue, and roaming the nearby neighborhoods with his beloved cousins and childhood friends. Like many Bronxites, Michael and his friends could be found hanging out on stoops, playing football and baseball in the streets, and creating a little bit of mischief at any given time on any given day. Michael attended Holy Family elementary school, where he made many lifelong friends, and was an altar server at Holy Family Church. Upon graduation from Holy Family, he attended Msgr. Scanlan High School. Together with his cousins and boyhood friends, Michael was a coach in the Castle Hill Little League Program doing his best to make the game of baseball fun and challenging for the teams he coached. Michael worked as a waiter at Castle Harbour Casino and could regale you for hours with stories about life as a waiter at "The Harbour."
In 1978, Michael and his family moved to the peaceful, bucolic town of Tappan, New York where he could be seen driving through the streets in his metallic silver Plymouth Arrow. He attended Dominican University in nearby Orangeburg while continuing to work at his beloved Castle Harbour Casino. Upon graduation from Dominican University, Michael explored career opportunities in the financial services industry and eventually joined the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) working as a Bank Examiner out of the New York City Field Office. Michael enjoyed a long and distinguished career at the FDIC. While working for the FDIC, Michael attained an MBA from Manhattan University and an MPA from Marist College.
On August 18, 2000, Michael married the love of his life, Prattana Chiwawiwatsatean, at St. Patrick's Church in Highland Mills. Michael and Prattana raised two beautiful children, Michael and Gabriel, who are now amazing young men journeying thorough life and dreaming God's dream for them. Michael was predeceased by his precious wife Prattana on August 31, 2019. After Prattana's death, he worked very hard to raise his two young boys and usher them into young adulthood. Michael cherished his wife and his children; they were his world.
A die hard Detroit Lions fan, Michael traveled to Detroit on several occasions to catch a home game at the Pontiac Silverdome, and he never gave up hope that one day he would see the Lions win the Super Bowl. Michael loved listening to The Beatles - his favorite Beatle was George Harrison and he had the opportunity to catch George live in concert at Madison Square Garden.
A devout Catholic, Michael was a longtime communicant at Sacred Heart - St. Patrick's Parish. He encouraged his wife to convert to Catholicism and instilled the Catholic faith in his children, making sure they attended Catholic elementary school and Catholic high school and bringing them to Mass every week. Michael and the boys could frequently be seen taking up the weekly collection and bringing up the offertory gifts.
In addition to his wife Prattana, Michael was predeceased by his loving parents, Milan (Mike) and Irene (Timar) Kostrna. Michael is survived by cherished sons, Michael J. Kostrna, Jr. of Rochester and Gabriel I. Kostrna of Highland Mills; his loving sister, Cindy Kostrna of Fishkill; his mother-in-law, Siriporn Chiwawiwatsatean of Thailand; his sister-in-law Bunny Narawat and her husband Sitt of Staatsburgh; his nephew Tim Narawat of Staatsburgh; his aunt Mary Sessa of Brewster; many loving cousins in New York, Slovakia and Hungary; and many loving friends.
Calling hours will be held from 4pm to 7pm on Monday, October 13 at the McHoul Funeral Home of Fishkill, Inc., 1089 Main Street, Fishkill, NY. A Mass of Christian Burial will be offered at 10am on Tuesday, October 14 at St. Columba Church, 835 Route 82, Hopewell Junction, NY. Interment will follow at St. Denis Cemetery, 604 Beekman Road, Hopewell Junction, NY.
For online tributes, visit www.mchoulfuneralhome.com.