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October 3, 2026
Services
Friends and family may visit at Vander May Colonial Funeral Home in Wayne, New Jersey, on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM.
Funeral services will be held at 9:30AM on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, at the funeral home, then to Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, 580 Ratzer Road, Wayne, NJ where at 10:30AM a funeral mass will be celebrated.
Following the Funeral Mass, Nina will be laid to rest at East Ridgelawn Cemetery, 255 Main Avenue, Clifton, New Jersey.
Dr. Zdzislawa “Nina” Havel, of Wayne, New Jersey, passed away on October 1, 2026, at the age of 93, leaving behind a remarkable legacy of resilience, accomplishment, generosity, and devotion to her family.
Born on May 8, 1933, in Lwów, Poland, Nina endured the hardships of World War II as a child. Those early experiences helped shape the strength, independence, and determination that would remain with her throughout her life.
Gifted both intellectually and artistically, Nina was a talented pianist from a young age. Although music remained a lifelong passion, she chose dentistry as her profession and practiced as a dentist in Poland for approximately 20 years.
In 1978, Nina came to the United States with her 11-year-old daughter, Renata, as a single mother with just a suitcase and $100 in her pocket. She originally intended to stay for only a year or two—to earn some money, experience America, and eventually return to Poland. Instead, America became her home.
Despite her many years of experience as a dentist, Nina’s Polish credentials did not allow her to practice dentistry in the United States. With limited English, she took whatever work was necessary to support herself and her daughter, including caring for the elderly and working in a psychiatric hospital.
Determined to return to the profession she loved, Nina began studying at New York University Dental Center in 1983. She faced the demanding task of studying dentistry in English, completing clinical requirements, and passing the examinations necessary to practice in the United States. During this period, she also worked as an assistant in the Manhattan implantology practice of Dr. Leonard Linkow.
Nina received her American dental diploma in 1986 and went on to serve as Director of the Dental Clinic at Kirby Forensic Psychiatric Center on Wards Island, New York.
Looking back on one particularly difficult examination she had feared she might not pass, Nina described her realization simply:
“I didn’t drown. I survived.”
In 1987, Nina opened her own dental practice in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. She became a respected and trusted dentist, serving the community for decades and continuing to practice into her 80s. Many of her patients were fellow Polish immigrants, giving her practice a special connection to the Polish-American community of Greenpoint.
Nina valued professionalism, education, hard work, and courtesy. She remained committed to learning throughout her career and spoke Polish, Russian, French, and English.
Although America became her home, Nina remained deeply proud of her Polish heritage and considered herself Polish-American.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Nina was caring, funny, generous, exceptionally intelligent, independent, and always fashionable. She had a deep appreciation for fine art, collecting paintings and sculptures and developing a keen interest in art history. She loved playing the piano, shopping, going for drives, and traveling—especially her many cherished trips to Aruba.
Above all, family was at the center of Nina’s life.
She was the devoted mother of Renata Gajor and Jerzy “Jerry” Jaworski, and the proud grandmother of Joanna, Paul, and Ashley. Nina shared an especially close and treasured bond with her beloved granddaughter Ashley, who was truly the light of her life. Their time together brought Nina tremendous happiness, and their relationship remained one of the greatest joys of her life.
Nina was predeceased by her parents, Jerzy Kolijewicz and Janina Kleiman Kolijewicz, and her brother, Leslaw Kolijewicz. Her family history also included her grandmother, Maria Antonina Kleiman-Halbritter de Rittersburg.
Over the course of 93 years, Nina experienced a life few could imagine—from a childhood in wartime Poland to successful dental careers on two continents. She came to America expecting to stay temporarily, but instead created a home, a career, and a beautiful life here, all while never forgetting where she came from.
Her legacy lives not only in what she accomplished, but in the family she loved, the patients she cared for, and the many lives she touched along the way.
Dr. Zdzislawa “Nina” Havel will be deeply missed, lovingly remembered, and forever celebrated for a truly extraordinary life.
If you would like to send a private condolence directly to the family use this condolence section.
Friends and family may visit at Vander May Colonial Funeral Home in Wayne, New Jersey, on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM.
Funeral services will be held at 9:30AM on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, at the funeral home, then to Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, 580 Ratzer Road, Wayne, NJ where at 10:30AM a funeral mass will be celebrated.
Following the Funeral Mass, Nina will be laid to rest at East Ridgelawn Cemetery, 255 Main Avenue, Clifton, New Jersey.
October 3, 2026
October 3, 2026
Services
Friends and family may visit at Vander May Colonial Funeral Home in Wayne, New Jersey, on Tuesday, October 6, 2026, from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM.
Funeral services will be held at 9:30AM on Wednesday, October 7, 2026, at the funeral home, then to Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, 580 Ratzer Road, Wayne, NJ where at 10:30AM a funeral mass will be celebrated.
Following the Funeral Mass, Nina will be laid to rest at East Ridgelawn Cemetery, 255 Main Avenue, Clifton, New Jersey.
Dr. Zdzislawa “Nina” Havel, of Wayne, New Jersey, passed away on October 1, 2026, at the age of 93, leaving behind a remarkable legacy of resilience, accomplishment, generosity, and devotion to her family.
Born on May 8, 1933, in Lwów, Poland, Nina endured the hardships of World War II as a child. Those early experiences helped shape the strength, independence, and determination that would remain with her throughout her life.
Gifted both intellectually and artistically, Nina was a talented pianist from a young age. Although music remained a lifelong passion, she chose dentistry as her profession and practiced as a dentist in Poland for approximately 20 years.
In 1978, Nina came to the United States with her 11-year-old daughter, Renata, as a single mother with just a suitcase and $100 in her pocket. She originally intended to stay for only a year or two—to earn some money, experience America, and eventually return to Poland. Instead, America became her home.
Despite her many years of experience as a dentist, Nina’s Polish credentials did not allow her to practice dentistry in the United States. With limited English, she took whatever work was necessary to support herself and her daughter, including caring for the elderly and working in a psychiatric hospital.
Determined to return to the profession she loved, Nina began studying at New York University Dental Center in 1983. She faced the demanding task of studying dentistry in English, completing clinical requirements, and passing the examinations necessary to practice in the United States. During this period, she also worked as an assistant in the Manhattan implantology practice of Dr. Leonard Linkow.
Nina received her American dental diploma in 1986 and went on to serve as Director of the Dental Clinic at Kirby Forensic Psychiatric Center on Wards Island, New York.
Looking back on one particularly difficult examination she had feared she might not pass, Nina described her realization simply:
“I didn’t drown. I survived.”
In 1987, Nina opened her own dental practice in Greenpoint, Brooklyn. She became a respected and trusted dentist, serving the community for decades and continuing to practice into her 80s. Many of her patients were fellow Polish immigrants, giving her practice a special connection to the Polish-American community of Greenpoint.
Nina valued professionalism, education, hard work, and courtesy. She remained committed to learning throughout her career and spoke Polish, Russian, French, and English.
Although America became her home, Nina remained deeply proud of her Polish heritage and considered herself Polish-American.
Beyond her professional accomplishments, Nina was caring, funny, generous, exceptionally intelligent, independent, and always fashionable. She had a deep appreciation for fine art, collecting paintings and sculptures and developing a keen interest in art history. She loved playing the piano, shopping, going for drives, and traveling—especially her many cherished trips to Aruba.
Above all, family was at the center of Nina’s life.
She was the devoted mother of Renata Gajor and Jerzy “Jerry” Jaworski, and the proud grandmother of Joanna, Paul, and Ashley. Nina shared an especially close and treasured bond with her beloved granddaughter Ashley, who was truly the light of her life. Their time together brought Nina tremendous happiness, and their relationship remained one of the greatest joys of her life.
Nina was predeceased by her parents, Jerzy Kolijewicz and Janina Kleiman Kolijewicz, and her brother, Leslaw Kolijewicz. Her family history also included her grandmother, Maria Antonina Kleiman-Halbritter de Rittersburg.
Over the course of 93 years, Nina experienced a life few could imagine—from a childhood in wartime Poland to successful dental careers on two continents. She came to America expecting to stay temporarily, but instead created a home, a career, and a beautiful life here, all while never forgetting where she came from.
Her legacy lives not only in what she accomplished, but in the family she loved, the patients she cared for, and the many lives she touched along the way.
Dr. Zdzislawa “Nina” Havel will be deeply missed, lovingly remembered, and forever celebrated for a truly extraordinary life.
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