Lynda Coslov, a lifelong resident of Pittsburgh, died on Sept. 18 with her husband, Joel, and their children, Nina, Nick and Jesse, by her side. She was 79.
Born on Jan. 30, 1947, Lynda was the eldest child of Regina (née Abravanel) and Ernest Stern. A graduate of Winchester Thurston School and Skidmore College, she also earned a degree in elementary education from Chatham College.
Lynda and Joel were married on Nov. 23, 1969 and settled on Inverness avenue in Pittsburgh’s Squirrel Hill neighborhood, where they raised their three children. She also loved the Vineyard.
A wise woman of diverse talents and interests, she first and foremost loved people (with dogs a very close second). Those in her presence, including everyone at Family House where she volunteered for many years, always felt care for and listened to. Her kind and nurturing fingerprints are prominently displayed for all to see on her children and their children, who loved and will sorely miss their Gaga.
A gracious hostess, Lynda liked nothing more than gathering family and friends (hers and Joel’s as well as Nina’s, Nick’s and Jesse’s) together in Pittsburgh or on Martha’s Vineyard, the latter transformed by Lynda from initially a one-week vacation spot into what became and remains the Coslov family’s cherished second home. She began coming to the Island on a regular basis in 1981, and for over 20 years, along with her husband, children and grandchildren, spent June to October in her home in West Tisbury.
Blessed with a voice of uncommon range and beauty, Lynda loved to sing. For many years she was a regular at More’s, a local piano bar, but took equal joy belting out her favorite songs during late night karaoke fests in the Inverness avenue basement or during car rides long or short, quietly adding background harmony to tunes playing on the radio.
She had other wide-ranging interests, too. A voracious reader who loved her book club, she was also an avid gardener and, for a time back in the day, a discotheque flower arranger. She also could not get enough of babies or dogs, and was a world class spoiler of her family’s and her friend’s pets.
In addition to Joel, Nina, Nick and Jesse, Lynda is survived by Nina’s husband Howie (Rice), Nick’s wife Nicole, Jesse’s wife Elizabeth, eight grandchildren — in age order, Zan (23), Will, Kate, Drew, Cameron, Ari, Eli and Ezra(3 months) — her sister Judy (Parkhurst) and her brother Rick.
Services were held on Sept. 23.
Contributions can be hmade to Family House or Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh.