Bernardo Olczyk's Obituary
Bernardo was a truly exceptional man of great character, business ethics and morals. He was a proud man and had a love for life, family and friends. Bernardo loved to travel and dance with his wife Bella. He always treated everyone as his equal and greeted each person with a beautiful smile and a genuine, heart-felt, “Hola, como esta?“ He was a wonderful son, loving brother, devoted husband, engaged stepfather, special uncle, and a warmhearted and doting grandfather/great grandfather. He brought light into the lives of everyone who was blessed to have known him. Bernardo was 90 years old when he peacefully passed away, surrounded by family, on January 31, 2024, at Mount Sinai Medical Center.
Born on April 11, 1933, in Havana Cuba, Bernardo was the son of Regina and Isaac Olczyk. He was a graduate with a degree in accounting from the University of Havana. Bernardo came to the United States in the late 1950’s with nothing but aspirations to find an opportunity in what would become his new country and home. With only his strong work ethic, Bernardo built a successful import export business primarily in batteries and perfume, as well as became one of the nation’s largest Avon distributors.
On March 30, 1990, Bernardo married the love of his life, Isabel Aaron Josub. The well-known vows repeated in most marriage ceremonies, “Do you, Bernardo Olczyk take Isabel Aaron Josub to be your wife, to have and to hold from this day forward, for better or for worse, for richer or for poorer in sickness and in health, to love and cherish, to death do us part”, never had truer meaning than it did with Bernardo. Bernardo redefined the term “devoted husband”.
Bernardo is survived by his beloved wife Isabel “Bella“ Josub Olczyk; stepdaughter Janie Tate (Jimmy); his grandchildren Jordyn Tate Adouth (Aharon), Erin Tate McNeill (Landon), Megan Tate Williams (Zachary) and Ivana Levy; his 5 adoring great-grandchildren Liam, Noa, Hudson, Chloe, and Jett, Sister-inlaw Marta Gimelstein, nieces and nephews Alex (Toby) Gimelstein (Josh, Jordan, Jessie and Zelick), Selma (Mario) Rosenfeld (Bryan, Zeke and David), Sam (Debbie) Olczyk, and Sonia Olczyk (Avram and Ross), He was pre-deceased by his brother Oscar Olczyk, sister Mary Gimelstein, and stepson Elias Levy.
Shiva will follow the private 1:00 pm family funeral service this Friday, February 2, 2024.
Donations in Bernardo’s memory may be made to the Mount Sinai Medical Center Foundation.
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