Obituary of Irem (Kosif) Bolukbasi

Irem (Kosif) Bolukbasi of St. Paul, Minnesota, beloved wife, daughter and friend passed away peacefully at her home on December 16th, 2019 with her loving husband and her closest friend both by her side. Irem was born on August 21st, 1984 in Istanbul, Turkey. She attended Umraniye Anadolu High School and Bogazici University where she graduated with a degree in chemistry. She was second in the class of 2007. She then obtained her master’s degree in chemistry from Bogazici University in 2009 and in the same year she was accepted to the doctoral program in Polymer Science & Engineering at the University of Massachussetts, Amherst where she focused on nanoparticles and polymers. Amherst was to be her home for the next 5 years and she developed many deep and lasting friendships both within the Polymer Science & Engineering department and in the Amherst community. After graduating in 2014, the newly minted Dr. Bolukbasi accepted a position in the Home Care Division of 3M as a product development engineer and, with her husband Engin, relocated to St. Paul, Minnesota. St. Paul remained their home in the US till she passed away. She and Engin enjoyed reading, traveling, camping, biking, and taking walks by several lakes in Minnesota. Irem loved helping people in need, volunteered at several community events. Her vibrant and loving spirit, kindness, thoughtfulness, bright smile and her optimism made her the light of many lives she came into contact with. She had a way to make the world better by her charm and her desire to help others in need. She was a creative scientist with a very beautiful heart. In addition to her husband Engin Bolukbasi, she leaves behind her father Abdullah Kosif, her aunt Hatice Kosif who raised her, two brothers Kerem Kosif, Umut Kosif, and many uncles, aunts and cousins. She was predeceased by her mother Munevver Kemertas in 2012. She is dearly missed and grieved by all who knew her and loved her smile, spirit, and beautiful soul. She will always be in our hearts and will never be forgotten. In lieu of flowers, to honor Irem’s memory, donations can be made to https://give.fmsc.org/give/76206/#!/donation/checkout You may check ‘’Dedicate my donation in honor or in memory of someone’’ and enter Irem Bolukbasi as honoree’s name.