Viera Provost

Viera Provost (née Kulamer) passed away peacefully on May 22, 2025, at the remarkable age of 97.

Born on August 23, 1927, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, Viera was the daughter of John and Anna Kulamer. She grew up alongside her siblings—Ruth, Ann, Louise, and John. In 1968, she married John Provost. Viera is survived by her four daughters: Yael Nelson, Sari Benmeir, Clare Waterman, and Marianne Sloan. She also leaves behind six grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Viera led a rich and fascinating life, fueled by her passions for the arts, science, cooking, baseball, and card games. A lifelong learner and lover of the mind, she studied at Margaret Morrison Carnegie College (now Carnegie Mellon University), where she partnered in bridge with the famed pop artist Andy Warhol, and once said to her daughters, “I don’t know why you girls bother going to college if you don’t play bridge!”

Professionally, Viera worked as a biomedical research laboratory technician at several prestigious institutions. Notably, during her time at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine in the late 1980s, she helped develop the first antibody used in AIDS testing—a contribution that had lasting impact on public health.

She remained a dedicated fan of her favorite baseball teams: the Pittsburgh Pirates, the Baltimore Orioles, and the Colorado Rockies.

She is predeceased by her first husband, Charles Mitchell Waterman (father of Yael, Sari, and Clare); her second husband John Philips Provost Jr. (father of Marianne); and her granddaughter Gloria Viera Sedney.

A public celebration of Viera’s life will take place on Saturday, June 7, 2025, from 4:00 to 6:00 PM at Perbacco Cucina Italiana (505 Main Avenue, Durango, CO 81301), followed by a private dinner for immediate family.

In lieu of flowers, donations in her memory may be made to the La Plata County Durango Senior Center (2424 Main Avenue, Durango, CO 81301 | (970) 382-6445).