Obituary of Bernie Michalik

BERNARD LEONARD MICHALIK Glace Bay A bright star has been dimmed in the heavens: our father, Bernie Michalik – Da – died in his sleep early Thursday morning, May 5, 2016 at the age of 77. Bernie Michalik was a Titan: a romantic, a musician (he played the alto sax like nobody’s business), a puppeteer, a sausage maker (he made the best kielbasa west of Warsaw), an athlete, a thinker, a trickster, and a raconteur. Most important, he was a loving husband to his wife, Jeanie – Ma – for 51 years, until her death in 2012; and for we three, he was a father who loved us tenaciously. Bernie doted on his grandkids too. He gifted Liam and Sophie, Marcus and Joe, with song, whimsy, and his undivided attention. Bernie treated his daughter-in-law Tracey Williams as if she were his own flesh and blood. Our father lost his eldest brother Joey in a mining accident in 1954; he never forgot him. Bernie was a loyal sibling to his sisters Ces and Carmella, who predeceased him, and to his brother Eddie and his sister Frannie, who still carry the Stanley Street torch. Bernie also loved his step-siblings, Eddie, Cathy, and John Melnick. Eddie Melnick was as much his blood brother as his stepbrother: the two of them dug out the basement of 286 Douglas; they made sausage; they tried to make sense of the play of Da’s hapless Maple Leafs. All of this they did together. As for brothers, our father was devoted to Brother Joe – Matt Lasowski – his friend from early childhood. Bernie admired Matt for his faith and his decency. They were twins of a sort. Each of them transformed hardship into dignity. The lamp of Brother Joe’s faith is shining over Bernie even now. His many cousins, nieces and nephews brought him joy. His neighbours did too. Bernie Michalik lived life to the fullest. He was on the go till the last night he got under the covers and turned out the light. He revered the past, but kept his eye on the future. He loved life; he cared for people. He was part Foghorn Leghorn, part Joltin’ Joe – he was 100 percent a gentleman. We will cherish his memory always. We will honour him by loving life, by loving others, by remaining inquisitive, and by being open to everyone and everything. We love you, Da. We miss you. Your kids Eleanor, Bernie, and Eddie Michalik: Cremation has taken place. Visitation is Tuesday from 2-4, 7- 9 p.m. in V.J. McGillivray Funeral Home, 16 Reserve Street, Glace Bay. The funeral service officiated by Fr. Leo Boone is Wednesday, 2 p.m. in the funeral home chapel followed by a reception. Interment at a later date in Forest Haven Cemetery. Donations in Bernie’s memory may be made to the Canadian Diabetes Association. On line condolences to the family can be expressed at: www.vjmcgillivray.ca