A joint virtual memorial service will be held on Sept. 29 for two longtime members of New York City’s publishing scene, Lorna Koski and Kathleen Berger.
Koski, a former WWD associate editor, died May 20 in their Barrow Street apartment. The 69-year-old died of pulmonary thromboemboli due to deep-vein thrombosis caused by relative immobility following surgery for a fractured right ankle after a fall. Koski was known for her encyclopedic knowledge, esoteric style and acerbic wit. A 1974 magna cum laude graduate of Harvard University (Radcliffe College), Koski earned a master’s degree from the University of Cambridge before venturing into publishing where she interviewed such titans as Harold Bloom and Karl Lagerfeld. Born in Lihue on the island of Kauai in Hawaii, Koski was raised in a family that spent time in Ecuador before settling in Pendleton, Oregon.
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Berger died on Jan. 11 at the age of 77 from complications from a lung transplant and COVID-19, according to her brother Warren. Due to that medical battle, Berger had stepped back from publishing a few years ago. She was a longtime editor at Newsweek, Time/Life books and Inc. magazine. Her brother also works in publishing as the author of “A More Beautiful Question: The Power of Inquiry to Spark Breakthrough Ideas” and other books. He said that his sister would want to be remembered as someone “who was a good friend to people, a cat lover, a good family member, and someone who loved New York, as well as the arts and Greenwich Village.”
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She and Koski got along famously, because they each had a great sense of humor, quirky personalities, and they were real New Yorkers through and through. They also loved Greenwich Village and Fire Island, and shared some of the same passions and interests.
With some of Koski’s family members based on the West Coast, Berger said organizing an on-site gathering would have been challenging for a complete turnout. The hourlong Zoom memorial will get underway at 8 p.m. with an opening eulogy from Warren Berger, who will speak about Koski and his sister. The event will be open for others to speak as well.
Berger said that he and Koski had planned to hold a tribute for his sister. After Koski’s passing, he decided to do a joint memorial instead. Next week’s event may feature some opera music, since the married couple enjoyed the opera.
In advance of the virtual memorial, Berger asked that anyone who is interested in sharing a memory or recollection of Berger or Koski, connect with him beforehand for scheduling purposes.