Joseph "Joe" Alex Kostow, a retired engineering supervisor with the City of Baltimore for 43 years, passed away at Pickersgill Retirement Community in mid-January. He had struggled with Parkinson's Disease for more than 10 years, with the cause of death being "possible myocardial infarction".

During the course of his career, he supervised the building of the National Aquarium, the Convention Center, as well as numerous public schools in the city.

Born in Berwick, Pennsylvania, he was the son of Alec Kostow, an iron worker, and Regina Gogolinski, a homemaker. He was a graduate of the Pennsylvania State University (Penn State), with a Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering and a Master's Degree in Business Administration.

Joe came to Baltimore in 1972 for a position in Public Works. At some point he was required to attend a management seminar, where the instructor began by tossing a Daily Racing Form on his desk saying, "you will learn more about horses from the Form than you will ever learn about potential job candidates from their resumes". Joe became intrigued so much that he sought a copy of a Daily Racing Form, began studying the past performances of horses and before long he was "hooked" on handicapping horses.

Over a period of approximately 20 years, Joe read over 100 books on handicapping angles, and became a master handicapper of horses in the Sports Palace at Pimlico and later at the OTB (Off Track Betting) site in Timonium every Saturday. It was in the Sports Palace that he sat with "Mel", "Harry the Hat" and Jacques Kelly's father, and learned from them some unique methods of focusing on the Daily Racing Form and watching post parades.

Additionally, Joe and his wife Emma took ski trips out West, up to Canada and over to Europe for 20 years with the Baltimore Ski Club, and enjoyed ballroom dancing for over 40 years.

Joe is survived by his devoted wife, Emma Clarke, a retired attorney, a sister, Carol Kostow Chaya and several nieces. Interment and services took place at S.S. Cyril and Methodius Ukrainian Cemetery in Berwick, Pennsylvania.

Please share online condolences with the family by signing his guestbook through www.peacefulalternatives.com.