William E. "Bill" Cosgrove

Books, tennis courts, and origami paper everywhere lost a dear friend in Bill, 80, who died unexpectedly and peacefully at his home on Friday, July 5. Bill was born January 29, 1939, raised in South St. Paul, MN, and educated at St. Augustine Grade School, Cretin High School and St. Thomas College in St. Paul and Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI. In 1970, Bill began a 36-year career at North Dakota State University in Fargo, ND, as a Professor of English, specializing in realistic and modern American literature, Black literature, William Faulkner and Mark Twain. He earned his Ph.D. in 1972 from the University of Iowa and served two terms as chair of the NDSU English Department. He was a passionate and captivating professor, beloved by his students, many of whom maintained contact with him over the years. Bill was an active member of the Fargo community for over 40 years. His commentaries and reviews of Little Country Theater and Fargo-Moorhead Community Theater plays were featured regularly on KDSU-FM92 and in the High Plains Reader. He was a long-time Mark Twain impersonator in his original one-man show “An Evening with Mark Twain: The Trouble Begins at Eight,” performing throughout North Dakota in education programs for people of all ages and as the featured entertainment in dinner theaters. Throughout his life, Bill thoroughly enjoyed engaging in conversation on any topic. He especially liked talking with young people about their academic pursuits and dreams. He was a dedicated father and grandfather, lifelong reader, writer and learner, year-round bicyclist, nationally ranked tennis player, avid tomato grower and origami-maker, and insistent do-it-yourselfer and fixer-upper. After his retirement in 2006, Bill and his wife, Peggy, moved to the Minneapolis area to be closer to family. Bill continued his love of teaching by conducting origami workshops for youth as “Professor Origami” and quite often made flapping birds for anyone who needed a smile. He enjoyed spending his days caring for his daughter Cristin’s dog, Zailey, reading and writing poetry, fiction and non-fiction, and making notes on what to write next. He published his memoir Sligo Town to South Saint Paul in 2016, followed by two books, May the Road Rise to Meet You and Imagining Magic. He was working on his third book at the time of his death. Bill is preceded in death by his parents and two sisters, and survived by his wife of 53 years, Peggy; daughters Courtney (Jim) Reed, Shannon (Eric) Cosgrove-Rucker and Cristin Cosgrove; grandchildren Fiona, Ebenezer, Bright, Kate, Marcus and Julia; and many other relatives. Visitation is Saturday 1 PM at Washburn-McReavy, 5000 W. 50th & Hwy 100, Edina, MN, followed by Memorial 2 PM and reception. Funeral home (952) 920-3996. No flowers please. Donations may be made to the Bill Cosgrove TennisWorks Scholarship Fund at the Fred Wells Tennis & Education Center to engage under-represented youth in the sport of tennis: www.fwtec.org/donations or 100 Federal Drive, St Paul, MN 55111.

Tributes

William E. "Bill" Cosgrove

January 29, 1939 - July 5, 2019

Tributes

William E. "Bill" Cosgrove

January 29, 1939 - July 5, 2019

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