Emil Keselica

With heavy hearts, we express the passing of Emil Keselica on November 24, 2020 at his home in the
presence of his daughter and son-in-law. He is survived by his daughter Christine Berman (Douglas),
granddaughters Charlotte and Becca, sisters Mary McCrea and Susan Forrest, and generations of
nephews and nieces. He is predeceased by his wife Sophie, Brother-in-Law Paul McCrea and Nephew
Andrew McCrea.

Born to Anna and Frank Keselica in New York City in 1935, Emil first grew up in Brooklyn, New York as a
child and then Bellerose in Queens, NY as a teenager with his younger sisters Mary McCrea and Susan
Forrest. After attending a few years at Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, Emil enlisted in the U.S. Army in
1956 and served for three years at Fort Bliss, Texas. He married his dear wife Sophie in June 1965, and
they moved to Port Jefferson, NY four years after the birth of their only child Christine.

With his technical training in the Army, Emil became an electronic engineer specializing in testing radar
systems for companies that contracted with commercial airlines and the military. He served as a radar
design tester for planes such as the Tomcat F14, showcased in the Top Gun movie. When the defense
industry suffered layoffs in the late 1980's recession, Emil was resilient and went back to college at The
City University of New York to earn a Bachelor of Science in Education and his teaching certificate. In
1989, he began his second career as an Electronics Teacher at Transit Tech H.S. in Brooklyn, NY where
he worked for 12 years before he retired in 2001. During his retirement, he spent time with his sisters and
extended family on Long Island, visited his daughter, son-in-law and granddaughters on numerous
occasions in Ohio, traveled with his wife, celebrated their 50th Anniversary together, and served as her
loving full-time caregiver until her passing in 2015.

Although he was the ultimate New Yorker who loved his NY pizza and bagels and the shores of Long
Island, Emil moved to Ohio in 2018 to be closer to his daughter and her family. He purchased a new home
to live closeby to his daughter and family. Despite needing dialysis for almost three years, Emil was able to
celebrate his 85th birthday in summer 2020. But health complications made 2020 especially tough.
Throughout his life, Emil had several interests and hobbies. Emil was an aficionado of the arts: Broadway
shows, ballets, operas and orchestral concerts. His love and knowledge of classical and movie composers
provided him a lifetime of listening enjoyment. He supported his only child's musical pursuits buying
musical instruments (piano, guitar and clarinet) and finding sheet music for her to audition or perform. Emil
loved watching his two granddaughters grow up, seeing them dance in their many shows, and listening to
them perform their musical instruments.

Emil was an avid Boston Red Sox and Celtics fan, a following that was instilled by a favorite uncle who
tracked players coming back into the league from WW II. Emil's hobbies also included horticulture and
gardening. He planted so many varieties of beautiful trees and plants at his Long Island home and loved
tending to his vegetable garden. A mini orchard of apple trees yielded many apples for homemade pies
and applesauce.

Emil was also a wine connoisseur and collector. He always loved a fine vintage of Barolo wine to
accompany a fancy dinner or a special occasion. So raise a glass of red wine in his honor and
remembrance.

A memorial to honor Emil will take place next year in New York. In his memory, please consider donating
to the The American Kidney Fund https://www.kidneyfund.org/