Written by John B. Thiel.
Bernard Johannes Sylvester Thiel of Breslau, Silesia, Miami Beach, Florida, and Oglethorpe County died on Dec. 2, 2025, age 94. He was born of Oscar Zumft and Maria F. Thiel, in Breslau, Silesia, Germany, along the Oder river, on Jan. 1, 1931.
He immigrated to America in the early 1950s, traveled widely and settled and lived in South Florida from 1956-2017, when he was injured by Hurricane Irma, afterwards residing in Oglethorpe County. Bernard is survived by his wife Corrine, and five children — John, Diane, Eva, Paul and Steven, and their families, and remembered by his friends and neighbors in South Florida.
Cremation services were held on Dec. 4 at Lord & Stephens Funeral Homes, Athens. A memorial event will be planned for after the holidays during warmer weather, when the family can attend. In lieu of flowers, donations graciously accepted in the family name at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis TN 38105 (stjude.org).
Bernard was a veteran in the U.S. Army during the Korean War, and served as an official U.S. translator. He attended the University of Miami, acquiring a bachelor’s degree and teaching certificate in 1960, becoming a naturalized U.S. citizen in October 1959.
His first career was machinist for Pan American Airlines, starting in Germany and via which he transferred to America, and he later served a long career in the Miami and Miami Beach U.S. Post Offices. Bernard had a great interest and priority for his family and children, foregoing more convenient or higher paying jobs to better spend time with them.
Bernard loved the beach and biking enormously, and took his whole family biking to the beach and around town every day during summers. He was a connoisseur, exploring and enjoying all manner of fine foods and gourmet recipes — bakery delicacies, specialty cheeses, exotic fruits, vegetables, meats and fresh fish from the Miami marinas.
Bernard was raised Catholic with an individualist perspective and widely tolerant of religions as a personal matter. He had read the Bible three times with many insights. He esteemed thinking, knowing, learning, capability, excellence, faith and piety, structure and discipline.
In all things, Bernard consistently attempted to “dial you in” to present some interesting aspect of a technology or situation, to share a meal, to make sure you had a bed. He was expert with steel, tools and machinery, an avid technologist, tracking with interest the engineering and construction projects around Miami, and new developments across many fields.
He had a deep appreciation of the arts, including music, writing, literature, television and radio shows. Bernard loved music, especially classical symphonies and operas, yet with a wide ear including many styles. He was exceedingly well read, had many books and magazines, in both English and German.
Bernard loved his family, his life and good books. And so may you.