By Ivan Pereira
Karl Cieslak, a German immigrant who worked as a superintendent for three buildings in northeastern Queens and owned a cleaning service used by a number of borough businesses and homes, died June 2. He was 63.
Cieslak’s elder daughter, Monica Cieslak-Gluck, said her father was a caring individual who loved to strike up conversation with friends and help them if they ever needed help.
“He thought for others before he thought about himself,” she said.
Born in Germany, Cieslak was a member of that country’s merchant marines and was a master electrician, according to Cieslak-Gluck. In 1973, he, his first wife and infant daughters moved to Sunnyside and he eventually took up a job as a super in their apartment building.
Aside from being able to use his handyman skills to help people, the immigrant’s daughter said the job allowed him to be close to his loved ones.
“He wanted to make sure his children were safe and his family was safe,” she said.
The family moved to an apartment building at 43-25 Douglaston Pkwy. and then down the block to 43-60 Douglaston Pkwy. He worked as a super at both locations and continued to help the building’s tenants up until two years ago.
About 30 years ago, Cieslak started his own cleaning service, Karl Cieslak Building Maintenance, and served as a maintenance man and custodian for at least 15 homes and businesses, including the TimesLedger Newspapers offices on Bell Boulevard.
Cieslak-Gluck said her father enjoyed his business because he it enabled him to help others.
“My father believed there was always a job out there,” she said.
A wake has been scheduled this Friday at the Doyle B. Shaffer Funeral Home at 45-09 Little Neck Pkwy. in Little Neck from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. A funeral mass will be held at the funeral home at 7 p.m.
Along with Cieslak-Gluck, he is survived by his first wife, younger daughter Nancy Colon, current spouse Gloria Fuchs-Cieslak and five grandchildren.
Reach reporter Ivan Pereira by e-mail at ipereira@cnglocal.com or by phone at 718-260-4546.
