Thank you Stephen Koob

Dear members,

It is with great sadness that we share the news of the sudden passing of Stephen Koob.

We were informed of the news by N. Astrid R. van Giffen, who also asked us to share the following message:
Stephen Koob unexpectedly passed away on Saturday, June 13th 2026. Funeral services were held Tuesday, June 16th. Formerly chief conservator at the Corning Museum of Glass and known to many for his work with B-72, glass, ceramics, and archaeological materials (as well as his fondly labelled “Koob Tubes”), his impact on our field is widely acknowledged and appreciated. A formal obituary is forthcoming, and a celebration of his life in Corning is being planned this fall. He is survived by his wife, Lisa Goldberg, and his two sons and partners – Julian Koob and (wife) Mieko Palazzo, and Jeremy Koob. Donations in his honour can be made to the AIC, IIC, or by contributing to the conservation laboratory at the Corning Museum of Glass.

Steve touched the lives of many of us in this group. He was my mentor, my colleague, and my friend. I will miss his generosity, his curiosity, his humour, and his love of a good time. If anyone would like to share memories with his family, I will gladly collect them. I am also hoping some of you can help me organize a fitting tribute for the September meeting in Oslo.

Steve worked as chair of TC17 of ICG for many years and he was always promoting and studying historic glasses. As example of his generosity, he selfless collaborated with the Beirut Archaeological Museum in 2022 to recover and repair the Roman glass pieces broken in the explosion of 2020. We will miss him but he will remain in our memory for ever.