BERNARD MILCH

MILCH--Bernard. Bernard Milch, 93, Who Survived the Nazi Holocaust to Be Knighted by the King of Sweden. Bernard (Baruch) Milch died peacefully on January 6, 2019 at the age of 93. Survived by his wife of 65 years, Lusia (nee Rosenzweig), his two sons, David, a physician, and Neal, an attorney, and three grandchildren, Cody, Julia and Jason. Mr. Milch was born in Kosova, Poland, in 1925 and survived the Holocaust. He lost most of his family and his home in Poland. He came to the United States in 1948 with eight dollars in his pockets and the dream of a new life. He began his professional life as a mechanic, a trade he learned after the war in a Jewish displaced persons camp in US- occupied Germany. In 1956, he was hired to assess damage to the laundry room aboard the Swedish American Line's M/S Stockholm after it collided with the Italian steamship "Andrea Doria" in the Atlantic Ocean, near Nantucket Island. He was astonished that the machines functioned after being submerged in sea water. Mr. Milch made inquiries to the Swedish manufacturer and purchased a "Wascator" washer for testing and technical investigation, later obtaining the sales and marketing rights for North America. He was determined to adapt the machines for the growing coin-laundry and institutional markets. Mr. Milch was convinced that commercial front-loading washers in larger sizes than "top loaders" could revolutionalize the industry as the Baby Boom expanded. He called his new company "Wascomat," in partial tribute to his favorite lunch spot, the Automat. Wascator Company in Sweden soon became a core holding of the Scandanavian industrial giant, Electrolux, and the Milch family has been its longest continuous partner. Bernard Milch grew the business, now called Laundrylux, which is being run by his son and grandson almost 70 years since founding. In 1980, Mr. Milch was honored by the King of Sweden for his contribution to Swedish-American business when he was knighted with "Nordstjerneorden", the Order of the North Star, the highest honor given to a non-Swedish born civilian. From a Holocaust survivor who came to the United States as a refugee, Bernard Milch was now a Swedish Knight. "Only in America!" he used to say. Mr. Bernard Milch and Mrs. Lusia Milch, who survives him, were generous philanthropists. Among the many institutions they supported are Mt. Sinai Hospital, the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum (founders), Yeshiva University and Technion-Israel Institute of Technology. Mr. Milch's two sons say, "Our dad was a remarkable man. He lived a life with values, purpose and love. We have been blessed to have such a shining example as a role model. We invite friends and acquaintances with photos or anecdotes of Bernie to share them via nmilch@laundrylux.com Fun eral at 9am at Riverside Chapel, 180 West 76th Street, New York City on January 8th. Interment to follow at New Montefiore Cemetery. The family will sit Shiva at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Milch, 101 Central Park West #8E on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from 4 to 9pm; Friday from 1 to 5pm and Sunday from 2-7pm.