Asya Mikulinsky
In Loving Memory of Jerry Silver from Mikulinsky Family
To Susan, Michael, Laurie, and everyone who loved Jerry: we stand with you today in a grief that feels immeasurable. But we also stand here with hearts overflowing with a gratitude that is equally impossible to measure.
My family’s story in America did not begin with a map or a passport. It began with a photograph.
On March 23, 1991, five of us stepped off a plane at the Miami airport, leaving behind everything we had ever known in Russia. We were stepping into the unknown, likely terrified, and entirely uncertain of what lay ahead. And there, holding our photos in their hands, waiting to guide us into our new lives, were Jerry, Susan, and Michael.
From that very first day, Jerry did not just welcome us; he claimed us. He became our champion, our guide, and our steady rock.
For thirty-five years, Jerry stood by our side through every single step. And it wasn’t just Jerry. To know Jerry was to be embraced by his entire world. Through him, we were blessed with the love and support of Susan, Michael, and Laurie; of Susan’s parents; and of his wonderful friends, like the late Dr. Neil Schneider—may his memory be blessed. The sheer scale of the support we received from this circle of beautiful souls is something we can never truly repay, and something we will never, ever forget.
Jerry had a rare, quiet wisdom. He possessed the gift of being present without ever being overbearing. I remember the countless times we spoke on the phone, talking for hours. He listened to me with such patience and respect, never once mentioning that he was secretly helping me improve my English. That was Jerry—he lifted you up so gently that you didn't even realize you were being carried.
Whenever life grew dark, Jerry was there. When illness struck, he came to the hospitals. When we faced the devastating pain of losing our own loved ones, Jerry was there at the funerals, standing shoulder-to-shoulder with us, sharing the weight of our grief.
And when the sun was shining, he was there too. Our career decisions, our health struggles, the monumental choices that shaped our family’s future—so many of them were made with Jerry’s invaluable advice, his sharp mind, and his protective care.
Jerry passed away at eighty-three, a life cut far too short for a man who gave so much of his heart to this world. But the legacy he leaves behind is living, breathing proof of his goodness. Because of Jerry, five people from Russia were given a future, a home, and a family in America.
He was an extraordinary man—the kind of rare, steady anchor who doesn’t just offer help, but completely reshapes the trajectory of a family’s life with his warmth and devotion.
We feel profoundly, eternally blessed to have been a part of his life. We will miss his voice, his counsel, and his presence every single day.
May his memory be a revolution of love in our hearts, and may his soul rest in eternal peace.