J. Livingston Kosberg

J. Livingston Kosberg, born November 17, 1936, in Waco, Texas, died on Saturday, January 24, 2026. He was the son of Dorothy (nee Livingston) and Cy Kosberg and younger brother of Dolores Kosberg Wilkenfeld. Livingston was a proud and philanthropic Jew, successful serial entrepreneur, and passionate protector of the underprivileged. Livingston came to the University of Texas with a used car, one pair of shoes and a zest for success. More than once, he was singled out as the most likely to succeed in business, in spite of his mediocre grades. It was while working at a Houston Howard Johnson’s in the summer of 1955 that Livingston spied Saranne, whom he courted relentlessly when she arrived in Austin at the University of Texas that fall. Saranne felt that he was mature and had serious plans for their future. By June 1958, he had his degree and Saranne in hand. They soon settled in Houston, where Robin, Lori and Wendy were born and raised. He and Saranne were true partners in life in every way. While Livingston ultimately owned and ran companies of many types, he was most comfortable in the healthcare sector. His initial company went public in 1968, and he started his last company in 2018. Livingston could take the kernel of an idea, raise seed capital, and build it from a tiny start-up to a public company. Once it was stable and successful, he moved on to another challenge. He had great confidence in his ability to succeed in business, and he loved to bring in friends and acquaintances to his business projects. By the late 1960’s, Livingston was an active young leader of the Houston Jewish community, culminating in his becoming President of the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston in 1975. In 1968, he and Saranne made the first of many, many trips to Israel, where they made close friends and became strong philanthropic supporters. In the 1990’s, he travelled to Cuba, Ethiopia, and Yemen, using his negotiating skills in support of the Jews of these countries. He believed very strongly in the Jewish people and the need to raise up the next generations of Jews and Jewish leaders. A major donor of Houston Jewish day schools, he put his money where his values led. In 1969, Livingston supported Lloyd Bentsen for US Senator from Texas and began his work in support of Democratic candidates around the country. He donated to them and he raised political donations for them. In 1983, Governor Mark White appointed him as Chairman of the Board of what was then known as the Texas Department of Human Services. His goal was to use his inside knowledge of the healthcare sector to help underprivileged Texans. Livingston strongly supported those with less clout and was proud to use his contacts to help individual needs of folks of every stripe. He relished keeping up with political news and races around the country almost as much as keeping track of his beloved Houston sports teams. Livingston felt obligated to ensure that his family was secure. One means of security was education. He made it possible for his daughters and grandchildren to attend college. Graduate school was encouraged as well. “You must be able to provide for yourself,” he counselled. He was always so proud of the accomplishments of his wife, his daughters, and his grandchildren. Livingston played golf, poker and bridge with zeal and formed his lifelong friends from these groups. Thank you to Barry Lewis, Sid Weiss, Jerry Deutser and Mel Anhalt for their friendships to the very end. Thank you to Sylvia Montemayor for her decades of handling the family office and to Joe Kaplan for stepping in to advise and assist the family during these difficult years. Thank you also to his loyal caregivers Glenda, Milton, Maria, Julio, and Chris, and especially to Dr. Alan Hoffman, who has become an honorary “Kosberg” for his skilled and menschlik care of Livingston and Saranne. He is survived by Saranne Rosenzweig Kosberg, his wife of 67 years; their daughters, Robin (Mark Washofsky) Kosberg and her daughters, Rachel and Hannah; Lori (Jeff) Blumenthal and their children and spouses, Max and Evan, Amanda and Andrew and Jack and Jordan; and Wendy (Andy) Starr and their children and spouses, Shayna and Tyler, Jared, and Jolie and Thomas. Livingston would be proud that the next generation of Kosberg great-grandchildren have begun to be born. He is also survived by his sister, Dolores Wilkenfeld. He was predeceased by his parents, Dorothy and Cy Kosberg and brother-in-law J.H. “Buddy” Wilkenfeld. A memorial service will be held at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, at Congregation Emanu El, 1500 Sunset Boulevard, Houston, Texas 77005. Contributions in his memory may be made to the Emery/Weiner School, www.emeryweiner.org; to the Jewish Federation of Greater Houston, www.houstonjewish.org; or the charity of your choice.

J. Livingston Kosberg

November 17, 1936 - January 24, 2026