Obituary of Harry Olszak

Harry Albert Olszak (July 9, 1932 – April 12, 2023), beloved father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, passed away at his home in Denton, TX, at the age of 90. Harry was born and raised in Chicago, the oldest of three children, to Irene and Harry Olszak. Due to the Korean War and his time in the military, his college education was put on hold and ambition to be a doctor would instead inspire his Naval career path. He would later go back and earn his Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management, from Roosevelt University. Harry served in the Navy for 31 years, where he attained his highest rank of Force Master Chief of the Bureau of Medicine and Surgery, which is the most senior enlisted advisor for the Navy Surgeons General and voice for all active and reserve Hospital Corpsmen, and to which he was the third such individual in the role at that time. He was a former blood and laboratory technician who had served aboard the hospital ship USS Haven after the Korean War, at the Naval Medical Research Unit No. 4 in Great Lakes, and at the Preventive Medicine Unit No. 6 in Pearl Harbor, HI. He became head of the Hospital Corps in 1977, after a tour as Command Master Chief of Naval Regional Medical Center Portsmouth, VA. He retired in 1983. After military retirement, Harry proceeded to lead and manage at Norfolk Academy, a private co-ed college prep school, as Head of Facilities and Operations for almost 25 years. In his years since retiring, Harry enjoyed fishing, golf, and gym workouts. He was also committed to the enduring support of our military members at home and abroad as a founding member, and later board director of the Support Our Troops non-profit charitable service corporation formed at the Robson Ranch active-adult living community where he lived in Denton. Harry was a devoted husband and family man. He met his forever love, Helen Frances Garland, shortly after each joined the Navy in 1952 and were serving in the Hospital Corps together. The courtship was a brief 3 months, and the two married soon after in February 1954. Theirs was a marriage of more than 65 years strong. In his Navy years, as he was climbing in rank and responsibility, Harry would make the weekly commutes between work in Bethesda, MD, and home in Virginia Beach, VA, to spend time with Helen and their four sons. He was a source of calm, quiet strength, and guidance for his family. As the years passed and his family grew, he also proudly loved his grandchildren and great-grandchildren and delighted in all their activities and accomplishments. Harry faced his share of challenges and heartbreak in life. He was one of the main caretakers of his oldest son, Doug, after a terminal cancer diagnosis. His example of love and self-sacrifice was also never more evident than in supporting Helen through her declining health in her final years. Despite these recent losses and the personal toll they took, he remained positive and resilient, living independently up to the very end. Harry was preceded in death by his parents, Irene and Harry Olszak; in-laws, Ethel Mae and Harold Garland; brother, Leonard (Kathy) Olszak; wife, Helen Olszak; and two of his sons, Douglas (Marilyn) Olszak and Richard (Cindy) Olszak. He is survived by his sister, Mary Lou (Russell) Cramer; two of his sons, Edward (Theresa) Olszak and Steven (Karen) Olszak; his grandchildren: Robert (Bianca) Olszak, Christopher (Amy) Olszak, Courtney (Robert) Golden, Morgan Olszak, and Alexandra (Kirby Nunez) Agresto-Nunez; his great-grandchildren: Faith Olszak, Richard Olszak, Zachary Olszak, Ryan Olszak, Teagan Golden, and Harlow Nunez; and many beloved nieces, nephews, and other family members. He also leaves behind Marsha (Doug) Weaver and Shirley (Ronald) Tyson, who, along with his daughter-in-law Marilyn Olszak, loved and cared for Harry as their own father. A funeral service will be held for family and friends at St. Mark’s Catholic Church in Argyle, TX on May 11 at 10am. He will later be interred with military honors at DFW National Cemetery in a private service for immediate family members. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in his honor to these organizations that were an impact on or because of his life: • Support Our Troops (supportourtroopstexas.com), • Norfolk Academy (norfolkacademy.org), or • National Brain Tumor Society (braintumor.org) Harry will be deeply missed by all who knew and loved him. His legacy of love, service, and devotion will live on through his loved ones for generations to come.