Albert William Kossler

Albert William Kossler was born in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1929 to parents Albert and Edna (Rogers) Kossler. He died on February 1, 2026 at a Bangor nursing facility. His 96 years were a testament to a life well lived.

Albert, known as Bert and nicknamed Podge, was the fourth of seven children. He enjoyed telling tales of his childhood in Pittsburgh and the adventures and antics he had shared with his siblings. A highlight of his childhood was playing the trumpet for First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt when she visited his school. Albert's family had deep roots in pharmacy and healthcare in the Pittsburgh area.

Albert married Marilyn Jean Bashore in 1954, in Alexandria, Virginia. They were blessed with five children; Karen Kossler Hulsey (Bob) of Little Rock, Arkansas; Susan Kossler Drew (Bob) of Hampden, Maine; Nancy Kossler Smith (Mike) of Bentonville, Arkansas; Don A. Kossler (Deb) of Belgrade, Montana; and Mark L. Kossler (Nancy) of Topeka, Kansas.

Albert received a Bachelor of Science degree in Pharmacy in 1951 from the University of Pittsburgh, and a Master of Science degree in Hospital Pharmacy from the University of Maryland in 1953. He completed his hospital pharmacy residency at Johns Hopkins Hospital from 1951 to 1953. There he met the love of his life, Marilyn, who was completing her internship to be a Registered Dietician.

From 1954 to 1956, Albert served his country as a paratrooper in the U.S. Army's 11th Airborne Division Medical Service Corps. In addition to his field duties, he taught Human Anatomy and Physiology at Fort Campbell, Kentucky. He was honorably discharged, having attained the rank of 1st Lieutenant. Albert and Marilyn's first daughter, Karen, was born at Ft. Campbell.

After his military service, Albert began his civilian career as a registered pharmacist in the states of Pennsylvania, New York, Arkansas and Kansas. He primarily served as a hospital pharmacist but also worked part time as a community pharmacist. He was the first Chief Pharmacist at Methodist Hospital of Brooklyn, New York; Chief of Pharmacy Services at the University of Arkansas Medical Center (UAMC), Little Rock, Arkansas; Director of Pharmacy at the Sunflower Hospital Alliance for Resource Economy (SHARE) and a pharmacist at Stormont Vail Hospital, Topeka, Kansas. He served in many elected offices in his profession and on many committees during his career.

In addition to his work as a pharmacist, Albert was an instructor within the field of pharmacy. He taught at the University of Arkansas's College of Pharmacy and lectured at their Inservice Nursing trainings. He presented instruction at numerous conventions, the majority of which were hosted by the American Society of Hospital Pharmacists.

Albert published articles in several publications, including the Bulletin of the American Society of Hospital Pharmacists (now the American Journal of Health-System Pharmacy) and the New England Journal of Medicine. He was the Editor and contributing writer for newsletters at the Methodist Hospital in Brooklyn, UAMC in Little Rock, the Arkansas Association of Hospital Pharmacists, and SHARE in Kansas. Albert successfully wrote a federal grant proposal for the National Drug Monitoring Program which resulted in UAMC receiving over $850,000 in grant monies.

Albert was a member of several professional societies and organizations, which include the New York Society of Health-System Pharmacists, American Society of Hospital Pharmacists, Kansas Pharmacists Association, Kansas Society of Hospital Pharmacists, Rho Chi, Kappa Psi, and the Topeka Chapter of the American Field Service.

Through his memberships and publications, Albert advocated for the role of the hospital pharmacist as a critical member of the clinical team, rather than just a dispenser of medicine. He also served as a de facto liaison between the U.S. Public Health Service and the American Society of Hospital Pharmacists, ensuring that public health pharmacists were integrated into the society's professional standards and governance.

Albert spent his entire adult life volunteering for various non-profit organizations. In Little Rock, Arkansas, these organizations included the Boy Scouts of America, the Girl Scouts of America, St. Andrew United Methodist Church and his children's elementary schools. In Topeka, Kansas, he volunteered for the American Red Cross, Crestview United Methodist Church, Doorstep, Inc., Helping Hands Humane Society, Community Concert Association at Washburn University, the Topeka Performing Arts Center, the Kaw Valley Bicycle Club, the Treasures of the Czars exhibit and the American Field Service. He passed his love of service on to his children, all of whom have spent their careers either working and/or volunteering in the non-profit sector.

Albert will be fondly remembered for his love of reading, which he and Marilyn passed along to all of his children and grandchildren. Weekly trips to the library were important parts of their childhood. He was an extremely generous gift giver and his kids, their spouses, and grandchildren were often recipients of all kinds of "treasures" he had purchased from catalogs. Albert and Marilyn instilled their lifelong love of music and the arts in their children. Concerts, plays, musicals, operas, symphony and choral performances by both local entities and touring companies were attended by the entire family.

Albert's children have many wonderful memories of two-week vacations in the family's truck camper. Albert and Marilyn carted their brood of five all over the United States and Canada, visiting many of the National Parks. Both parents wanted their children to know how things worked and how they were made. Many side trips with tours of manufacturing plants were part of the vacation experience, including Kellogg's, Gorham Silver, Heinz, Owens-Corning, Frito-Lay, Schlitz, and Upjohn Pharmaceuticals.

Albert moved to Hampden, Maine in late 2018 to live with his daughter Susan and son-in-law Bob Drew. He was a member of Hampden Highlands United Methodist Church. In November of 2019, family and friends celebrated his 90th birthday. A highlight of the occasion was the premier of an original orchestral piece commissioned by his children and composed for him by Lucas Richman, conductor, and played by the Bangor Symphony Orchestra. "Polonaise for Podge" was a fitting tribute to a man that loved the arts, and will always be treasured by Albert's family.

Albert was in residence at Westgate Center for Rehabilitation and Alzheimer's Care beginning April 2022. The family would like to thank the staff at Westgate, particularly those that directly cared for him so lovingly. The family would also like to thank Northern Light Health for providing excellent care for his medical needs and surgeries.

Albert is survived by his five children and their spouses, named above, as well as grandchildren Joseph Faucett (Amanda) of North Little Rock, Arkansas, Ty Tenpenny of Lawrence, Kansas, Steven Hulsey (Meredith) of Seattle, Washington and Michael Hulsey (Maggie) of Durham, North Carolina, Brian (Tatiana) Brown of Punta Gorda, Florida, Heather Brown (Tyler) of Bozeman, Montana, and great-grandchildren Gwenivere and Finn Faucett, his brother Paul Kossler and wife Ruth of Marietta, Georgia and a host of nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Mario E. Desangles Hernandez of Punta Canta, Dominican Republic and Sherrill A.C. Robinson of Lawrence, Kansas were an honorary son and daughter to Albert and Marilyn. He was preceded in death by his loving wife, Marilyn, his parents and five of his siblings.

In lieu of flowers, gifts of remembrance in Albert's name may be made to Doorstep, Inc. of Topeka, Kansas, the American Red Cross, or the Bangor Symphony Orchestra of Bangor, Maine.

A celebration of life will take place in Topeka, Kansas in the spring.