Margaret "Kay" Kathleen Kosmicki

Margaret Kathleen Kosmicki, known by all as Kay, passed away peacefully on November 15, 2025. Kay was born on February 13, 1939 in Douglas, Nebraska to James and Mary McCarthy. She graduated from Alliance High School in 1956 and went on to attend the University of Northern Colorado. She left her studies at UNC to become a flight attendant with Western Airlines which inspired her love of travel. In 1961 she married Nick Kosmicki, the love of her life, and who became her confidant and business partner. Nick and Kay started their life and family together in Denver where Kay continued to be a flight attendant for the Gates Rubber Company.

In 1970 Kay and Nick moved to Greeley where they would raise their sons Matt and Mark and their daughter Terry. It is here where Kay began her years of community service and launched her successful travel company.

In 1980 she started Cottonwood Travel Company which would become the premier travel agency in northern Colorado. In 1982 she was honored as the first female in Greeley to be named “Businessman” of the Year, followed by being named Businesswomen of the Year in 1987. After 32 years of serving the travel needs of the northern Colorado community she sold Cottonwood Travel Company in 2012 and devoted more of her time to community service.

A passionate community leader, Kay served on the boards of numerous local organizations including the Northern Colorado Medical Center Foundation, the Union Colony Bank, Monfort

Clinic, Girls Scouts (Mountain Prairie Council), the Greeley Convention and Visitors Bureau, and the Women’s Guild of St. Mary’s. In 1997 the United Way of Weld County named Kay as Humanitarian of the Year.

Kay once said she didn’t have a pessimistic bone in her body and anyone who met her knew this to be true. She will be remembered for her sense of humor, stubbornness, sage advice, her willingness to help those less fortunate and her unwavering devotion to her family, friends and community. Her family will fondly remember her Kayism’s - “you kids really should…”, and “sharing time is happy time”.

Kay is survived by her three children; Matt (Shirley) Kosmicki, Mark (Laura) Kosmicki and Terry (Don) McCullough; six grandchildren; Caroline and Katherine Kosmicki, Dawn (Matthew) Turek, Bryan (Candace) McCullough, David McCullough and Spencer\ McCullough; two great grandchildren Fysher and Thatcher Turek; sister Colleen Irland; brothers Pat (Lorraine) and Mick (Sandy) McCarthy; in addition to many nieces and nephews and many, many friends.

She was preceded in death by her beloved husband Nick, her parents James and Mary and her stepmother Marguerite, her sisters Mary and Sharron and her brother Jim.

A Rosary will be held on December 5, 2025, from 10:30 am to 11:00 am at St Mary Catholic Church, located at 2222 23rd Ave, Greeley, CO 80634, US. The Funeral Mass will follow on the same day from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm at the same location. A reception will be held following the service at the Greeley Country Club, located at 4500 W 10th St, Greeley, CO 80634.