Katherina “Kitty” Turtschin Goss, of Cortland, NY, passed away on September 22, 2022. She was born on November 17, 1936 in Mala Ivancha, Yugoslavia (Serbia). The only daughter of Danza Matic and Semeon Petrovich Turtschin she arrived with them to New York Harbor from Bremerhaven, Germany, on the USS General MB Stewart. She often joked they had to spend an extra day on the ship having had the good fortune of arriving on Washington’s birthday in February 1952.
Kitty perfected her English-speaking skills while serving as an aide at the Cortland Memorial Hospital and then joined The Smith Corona Corporation in 1957, working there for nearly 30 years until she retired. She was known for her smile, laughter and always being full of fun. She loved to travel and made the return trip to Serbia to visit relatives several times.
She is predeceased by her parents; brothers Peter Turtschin and Vasily Turtschin; and son, Mark A. Goss. Surviving is son Peter M. Goss, daughter Donna L. Goss, grandson; Derik R. (Nikki) Diaz and great grandchild; Dominik Patrick.
A Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Wednesday at 9 a.m. in St. Mary’s Russian Orthodox Church in Exile 617 Tecumseh Rd. DeWitt, N.Y. The family will be present to receive friends on Tuesday from 5-7 p.m. in the Chapel of Riccardi Funeral Home 69 N. Main St., Cortland, N.Y. www.riccardifuneralhome.com
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the American Red Cross, an organization from which Kitty benefitted from directly as a refugee during WWII.
