A Skokie couple who emigrated decades ago from Ukraine to begin a new life together in America have died, just hours apart, both infected by the coronavirus.
Feliks Ogorodnik, 88, and his wife, Luiza, 84, died Saturday at Glenbrook Hospital in Glenview.
They are the first married couple in Illinois whom authorities publicly identified to have died during the pandemic from causes related to the disease.
They came to the United States from Ukraine more than 20 years ago after one of their daughters met and fell in love with an American. Both became citizens and worked hard to learn English and experience the traditions and culture of their new home, the family said.
“They were a beautiful couple,” their son-in-law, Ed Greenwald, said Monday. “Very loving and wonderful grandparents and very integral to our family.”
He said the family is not certain how they became infected.
The couple has two daughters, Irina Greenwald and Janina Schnaper, who lives in Germany, four grandchildren and other extended relatives. They worshipped at Beth Emet Synagogue in Evanston, where Irina Greenwald’s family members are congregants.
“They were very loving and kind,” said Rabbi Andrea London, who recalled seeing the elderly couple in mid-February at a grandson’s bar mitzvah. “They were so proud. (They) still struggled with English but (the grandmother) got up and spoke. They were very intelligent people.”
Relatives said Luiza Ogorodnik worked as a physician in Ukraine. She had a lifelong passion for learning and enjoyed reading and the theater. In an online obituary, her family described her as a “very energetic woman, full of optimism and life.”
The tribute continued, “She loved people and always sought to help those around her.”
Her husband, Feliks Ogorodnik, was a construction company supply manager in Ukraine. His family was everything to him, relatives said. He also loved gardening, often sharing his harvest with family and neighbors.
Feliks Ogorodnik died minutes before 5 p.m. Saturday, about 41/2 hours after his wife and in the same hospital, according to the medical examiner’s office. Both had underlying health problems that contributed to their deaths.
The family held a private funeral Tuesday. A larger memorial service will be planned at a later date.
David Jacobson, founder of Chicago Jewish Funerals, which handled the couple’s service, said livestreamed funerals, recordings and other special accommodations are being offered during the pandemic to restrict attendance and adhere to social distancing guidelines.
“Here’s what we’re learning: People need community more than ever,” Jacobson said. “This is really showing us how much people need each other.”
The family’s rabbi said a virtual shiva would be held, as well. Despite their heartbreak, Ed Greenwald said they know they are not alone in their grief.
“It’s a difficult time for our family and all of Chicago and the world,” he said. “We’re going through extraordinary times.”
Another Chicago-area family suffered a double loss recently when two siblings died nine days apart. The sisters, both in their 60s, attended church services together and were part of a tight-knit family, relatives said. Patricia Frieson, 61, a retired nurse, was the first person in Illinois to die of COVID-19-related causes and her sister Wanda Bailey died a little more than week later.
cmgutowski@chicagotribune.com