JOHN P. COSGROVE

COSGROVE JOHN P. COSGROVE (Age 98) The senior past president of the National Press Club, where he was the recipient of an unusual honor less than two weeks ago, Mr. Cosgrove died at his Washington, DC apartment Saturday morning, October 15, 2016. Born in Pittston, Pennsylvania on September 25, 1918, Mr. Cosgrove graduated from Pittston High School in 1936. He left for Washington in 1938 with a group of high school friends to pursue employment, at the time when the Great Depression was lingering. A part-time reporter with a newspaper bureau in his Pennsylvania home town, Mr. Cosgrove's first Washington job was in the Washington bureau of the Associated Press. Joining the Navy in December, 1941, immediately after Pearle Harbor, Mr. Cosgrove was soon detailed to the U.S. Office of Censorship, created to aid the censorship of all communications coming into and going out of the United States. It was then located in what is now the Federal Trade Commission building. Later, he served for two years aboard a Destroyer Escort in the Pacific, his ship sustaining bombardment on two occasions. Love of the Navy consumed much of his life's activity. In addition to wartime service, he was a founding member of the U.S. Navy Memorial, serving as a trustee for 30 years until he resigned a few months ago. Only three weeks ago, he was surprised with the presentation of the prestigious Lone Sailor's Award by the Trustees of the Navy Memorial. Appropriate Naval Honors will be rendered at the funeral. His long Washington experience in journalism advanced after World War II when he joined the staff of the fledging Broadcasting magazine, the first trade publication of the radio industry. The group a few years later produced Television magazine, with both magazines becoming the senior media trade publications. He joined the National Press Club in 1949. In January, 1961 he was sworn in as President of the organization by Chief Justice Earl Warren. The surprise official witness for the event was newly inaugurated President John F. Kennedy. The board of directors of the National Press Club honored Mr. Cosgrove by naming a special club room in his honor at ceremonies on October 5. It was Mr. Cosgrove's last visit to his beloved club. He cut a green ribbon at the ceremony. Only a handful of notables have been so honored, including President Harry S. Truman and radio and television legendary news star Edward R. Murrow. In Irish cultural circles both in the U.S. and Dublin, he was widely recognized for his program development roles, activities in organizations including the American Ireland Fund, and others. Mr. Cosgrove's wife of 51 years, Patricia O'Hara Cosgrove, died in 2002. He is survived by nephew Thomas Bartlett (Bonnie); nieces Margaret Carr (Steve) and Mary Bartlett (Peter); great niece Megan Brien (Calvin); great nephews Matt Carr (Tara), Brent Carr (Alexis); Cody Smith; Zach Smith; cousin Rosalie Gilroy and her family; and Eric Von Steinner and many friends in the United States and Ireland. Funeral arrangements are entrusted to the DeVol Funeral Home, Washington, DC. Final burial rites will be held in Washington on Friday, October 21, 2016. A one-hour period of visitation will begin at 9:15 a.m. at St. Matthew the Apostle Cathedral, followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10:15 a.m. Burial will be at Gate of Heaven Cemetery, Silver Spring, MD. It was requested that in lieu of funerals donations be sent to the National Press Club Journalism Institute, National Press Building, 529 - 14th St. NW, Washington, D.C. 20045; or to the Cosgrove Endowment at the Greater Pittston Memorial Library, 17 Broad St., Pittston, PA. 18640.