Victor “Sam” Kosc

Victor “Sam” Kosc, 84, of Boyne Falls, Michigan passed away on July 19, 2026, at McLaren Northern Michigan Hospital in Petoskey, Michigan after courageously battling complications from knee replacement surgeries and subsequent infections for more than two years. A funeral officiated by Pastor Jeff Ellis will be held on July 24, 2026, at the Walloon Lake Community Church at 11 a.m. Visitation will begin at 10 a.m. and a luncheon will follow the service. A graveside service will be at 2 p.m. at Maple Lawn Cemetery in Boyne City after the luncheon. 

Sam was born at home on Oct. 29, 1941, in Boyne Falls, Michigan. However, for 76 years, he celebrated the wrong birthday, believing he had been born on Oct. 28.  Once the truth came out, the story became a staple of his repertoire, usually told with plenty of embellishment, several laughs, and no regard for how long it took to tell.

Son of Wasyl and Victoria (Jarema) Kosc, he grew up in Boyne Falls and attended Boyne Falls Schools, class of 1959, before continuing his education at North Central Michigan College (fondly known as PU), Michigan State University, and Northern Michigan University, where he earned a master’s degree in education. 

On Dec. 27, 1969, he married Linda Metzger in Grand Rapids, Michigan, beginning a marriage that spanned more than 56 years.

Sam dedicated over three decades to education. He taught high school science in Rudyard, Michigan for five years before spending 26 years teaching special education and middle school science in Mancelona, Michigan where he touched the lives of countless students and families… always with “one pant leg in, one pant leg out”.  Even after retiring, Sam continued volunteering at Concord Academy Boyne, roaming the halls with York Peppermint Patties in his pocket to pass out, checking in on teachers and staff, and keeping busy with maintenance and beautification projects he often assigned himself.

Throughout his life, Sam was committed to serving his community. He served on the Board of Bergmann Center, was a founding father, board member and board President of Concord Academy Boyne, a leader of Recovery International, and a proud member of both the Michigan State and National Auctioneers Associations. From 1984 to 2004, he owned and operated Sam Kosc, Auctioneer, where his quick wit, gift of gab, and ability to connect with people made him a familiar face throughout Northern Michigan. He often shared one of his favorite sayings: “Better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it.”

Sam enjoyed hard work almost as much as he enjoyed telling stories about it. While putting himself through college, he worked on road construction and later claimed to have a story about all the roads and expressways where he worked. He loved beekeeping, Percheron horses, attending auctions, hunting, and planting trees, proudly recalling the time he planted 1,100 trees by hand in two days.  He was equally at home hauling hay during the hottest days of the summer and working at the Northern Michigan Livestock auction, a place he loved for the people as much as the work itself.  Winning free coffee for a year from the local gas station was a highlight, giving him countless reasons to stop in, hold doors for strangers, and turn a five-minute coffee run into an hour-long social event.  The free coffee may have eventually run out, but the conversations certainly never did.  He never met a stranger and could strike up a conversation with anyone, even people who dialed the wrong number often found themselves in a conversation longer than expected.  

A faithful member of Walloon Lake Community Church, Sam was also active with the Boyne Falls Polish Festival Horse Pull Committee. Whether through teaching, volunteering, auctioneering, or simply sharing a story, Sam had a way of bringing people together and leaving a lasting impression.  Never one to take life too seriously, he often joked that he had “outlived his expiration date” back in 2018 following his triple bypass heart surgery with bovine valve replacement, adding that he was now part cow.

He is survived by his wife, Linda; children Matt (Janel), Sarah (Mohamed), Steve, and Beth; grandchildren Spencer and Victoria; brother Andy; nephew Chris Fisher; and nieces Kim (Greg) Dunn and Barb (Bob) Seitz.  

He was preceded in death by his parents, Wasyl and Victoria Kosc, his sisters, Virginia (Ralph) Fisher and Irene (Tom) Lister and nephew Chuck Lister.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests memorial contributions be made to Walloon Lake Community Church, Concord Academy Boyne, or the Charlevoix Area Humane Society.   

The family would also like to express their sincere gratitude to the doctors, nurses, caregivers, physical therapists, and support staff at Bay Bluffs, Boulder Park Terrace, Grandvue Medical Care Facility, American House Petoskey, Northern Michigan Sports Medicine, and McLaren Northern Michigan Hospital for their compassion, dedicated care, and kindness throughout Sam’s journey.

If you spent more than a few minutes with Sam, chances are you left with a story, a laugh, and a little more wisdom than when you arrived.  

Arrangements are in the care of Stackus Funeral Home.