You had such a deep and profound impact on my mother's life, as well as my own. I can never thank you enough for the support and love you provided my mother and grandmother, as well as the rest of my family, throughout their lives and mine. Although I wasn't able to spend much time with you in person, you still held such an important place in my heart as my Great Uncle. I am grateful for the time I got to share with you, and will miss you deeply. I love you very much. Diana and Liliana, I am so sorry for your loss.

Lalu, you were an important part of our lives and I already miss you.  I am glad Daniela and I were able to spend time with you Liliana, Diana and Brian last month. We had a lot of good times over the years during your visits back to New York and ours to California.  You never missed a family event.  You were a good man and will be missed.

A Tribute to Aurel Zeilicovici (AKA Lalu),  A Great Earth Angel, and My Best Friend!

With G-d's help, Lalu and I first got together sometime in 1973, about 45 years ago. We met            through a Help Wanted ad Lalu placed in the New York Times, looking for an Optometrist.
He had recently purchased Margo Optical in Whitestone, Queens, from Charlie Margo, and his wife. He needed an Optometrist to work with him to examine patie nts, provide proper eyecare, and provide them with a prescription for eyeglasses, which he could fabricate for patients on premises, at a reasonable price.
Lalu was a true master crafstman, whether he was making a pair of glasses, or repairing an old discontinued frame, cherished by a patient. No other optician that I ever met would have the skill or knowledge to fix what he could. He was very resourceful when it came to repair work of any kind. If parts weren't available, he would canabalize old frame parts from the boxes of discarded frames he kept, that were too old tobe fully serviceable. And if he couldn't find the part, he would custom fabricate one, or creat his own repair! He was truly a repairman genius. Anything mechanical he could fix, cars, lawnmowers, weedwackers, you name it!
I learned  much about repairs from Lalu, and he was a great mentor in that arena.
He kept busy doing repair and rehab work  when he retired, and moved with Lilliana and Diana to California. He enjoyed the sense of accomplishment, and that kept him busy, and his mind sharp!
 And so that was the beginning of our close working  relationship, which, as we got to know each other better, became a very close, lifelong friendship.

In addition to hands of gold, Lalu had a heart of gold.As I remember, he would always extend his help in any way he could to almost everyone in need that he met.
I consider myself extremely fortunate indeed to have known him, and been considered his friend and working buddy. I must say he was a rare, uniquely kind, and wonderful human being. Even after all my years on this planet, I have never met anyone quite as quality a person as he was.
He inadvertantly taught me by example to be a good friend, and kind human being, and the learning process was painless! That was another one of his many beautiful qualities as a fine human being, and a super spirit!

We considered each other as brothers, and treated each other accordingly.
I am sorrowful beyond words, and deeply regret that I am not physically well enough at this time, to deliver these words personally. Even as I write now, my eyes are welled up with tears. I'm not certain I would have been able to read this without my tears flooding the words on this paper, possibly making them illegible. Rest assured that I am here with you in spirit.

Because we  worked some long days, (far into the evening to accommodate working folks), the reality was, I ended up spending more hours in a week with Lalu than my wife and kids!
We even became friendly and close enough to spend some quality, memorable, vacation times together, along with Silvia, my wife, and our children. We all enjoyed the Amish part of Pennsylvania, which we often visited. Those were indeed, part of the good old days for all of us!

Aurel also loved to ski. He spent many enjoyable winter vacations skiing the mountains of Europe with friends like Raoul Greene.
I never joined him on those skiing adventures. My skiing skills could never approach his. So I stayed home, preferring to practice suicide prevention, rather than Shussing down dangerous
mountainsides in Europe!

Then Lilliana came into Lalu's life, stole his heart, and swept him off his feet!
Some time after their marriage, in natural fashion, Diana was born. Then their family unit was complete! Lalu truly loved them above all others, and that was as it should have been!

Most of my family has passed over to the Other Side. Yet in my, and our family's  personal experience, in various ways, they continue to make their presence apparent to us. We have seen them as birds sitting on a tree in front of our window. Or, as a butterfly, repeatedly landing on our arm and lingering there, and even dining needles. Sometimes they enter our thoughts, or we recall some of their words or expressions at a helpfully appropriate time. We take these events as a way they show us they are still with us in spirit.

I believe Lalu's strong spirit will remain with all of us. I am not a medium, nor a psychic, but I  certainly believe  that  his spirit will remain with us, watching over us, to help us through our lives to the best of his ability in his new role. He's always behaved that way. Why wouldn't he continue in those ways, and perhaps even more powerfully!
 
G-d is LOVE. Lalu alwys behaved in a loving manner! He loved his friends, but he especially loved his immediate family, his beautiful and loving Lilliana, and their precious daughter, Diana, as well as their family members.
 
I believe The Good Lord will allow him to practice his new job, perhaps with newly acquired, and more powerful skills, to continue to love and help all those he choses to help.
So as much as we miss his physical presence, I truly believe we'll see a lot of positive good to continue to come our way from Lalu, even though he will be working from a different energy plane.
Although we are now grieving for Lalu in our own ways, (and I will as well,) I am not saying goodbye to him.
I will prefer to say, Auf Wiedershen. That means until we meet again, in German.

Lalu, thank you for all the goodness and kindness you have taught me and brought into my life.
I have learned many valuable lessons in that regard from your shining examples.
I will continue to be your good friend, and best buddy.
I will do whatever I can to make things easier for Lilliana and Diana, and help them in any way I possibly can, despite the miles between us.

May G-d protect you and your family, help you, and guide you on your new  journey, wherever it may take you.
I wish you much love, pleasantness, and success!
And as you must know, you are LOVE!!!

Always your loving friend,
Petu

Lalu,
The time spent with you was something I will never forget.  Thank you for being a loving, supporting, and caring Great Uncle.  And thank you for raising and being there for my mom during such tough times.  So sorry for your lose Liliana and Diana. Much love,
-Aaron

Lalu
You were like a father to me. Always there when needed, always with a joke and a smile. I will miss you greatly. 
Liliana and Diana, you were so lucky to share your life with him. So sorry for your loss.
Daniela

OBITUARY

Aurel Zeilicovici

November 5, 1927 – January 4, 2018

Montecito Memorial Park and Mortuary

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