Charles-Karczewski-Obituary

Charles Henry Karczewski

Union, New Jersey

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Union, New Jersey

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Loved Wine, Hated Silence
Charles Henry Karczewski did not have children, but he might as well have. His two dogs, Princess, a yellow Labrador, and Baby, a cocker spaniel, are devastated that he is gone, said his wife, Philomena. "Every male person that walks in the house they look at, and you see the disappointment in their eyes," she said. For comfort, they are sleeping with one of Mr. Karczewski's dirty shirts.

His dogs and his wife were only two of Mr. Karczewski's passions. He loved "that stupid trade center," as she put it, where he had worked for three years as a benefits consultant for the Aon Corporation. Every time they drove by the buildings, he would say, "I work there."

He loved to talk, and hated silence. He loved wine and the beach. He loved the stock market, even when it was on the downswing ("You never marry a stock," he liked to say), and had started a stock club.

Mr. Karczewski, 34, loved to vacation, often in adventurous ways - sky-diving, canoeing, kayaking. He had been to Italy, Bermuda and Alaska, among other places. This month, he and his wife were planning to go to Arizona. The books he had ordered about hiking the Grand Canyon arrived last week.

Profile published in THE NEW YORK TIMES on October 3, 2001.


Charles Karczewski, 34, an adventurer

An e-mail from Chuck Karczewski was unpredictable -- it could stun you with the name of a charity he'd promised you would contribute to or contain a comic formula for building a championship Rutgers University football team.

"He would say if we could look at some police rosters and see who was available to play, maybe we could have a winning team," said his friend James Wiggins, a California osteopath who attended Rutgers with Mr. Karczewski in the late 1980s.

They were witty and good-natured missives, typical of the 34-year-old Union Township man, an insurance benefits consultant who loved adventure and gave generously to churches, Boy Scouts, the United Way and others.

"He was so full of life and so willing to give, a very charitable person," Wiggins said. "Now that he's gone, I really don't look at my e-mail too much."

Charles "Chuck" Henry Karczewski phoned his wife on Sept. 11, leaving a voice mail message at her job that described the fiery plane crash at One World Trade Center.

From the offices of AON Corp., an insurance and consulting firm on the 102nd floor of the South Tower, Mr. Karczewski said he would call again when he arrived safely downstairs. That was the last Philomena Karczewski would hear from him.

Mrs. Karczewski watched on television as a second plane slammed into the South Tower.

"That's my husband," she recalled telling a co-worker. "In my eyes, I saw him get killed."

Mrs. Karczewski remembered her spouse of 61/2 years as an adventure seeker who enjoyed skydiving in Sussex County, kayaking in the Pacific Ocean and snorkeling and parasailing in the Caribbean.

"He had a serious side, but he liked to live on the edge," said Kim Ferguson of Hillsborough, a friend since second grade.

Mrs. Karczewski said her husband loved to travel. For his 30th birthday, she surprised him with a Baja, Calif., vacation, wrapping the airline tickets in his swim trunks.

He had no children, but doted on a cocker spaniel named "Baby" and a yellow Labrador retriever, "Princess," that, since Sept. 11, sleeps on a bed of Mr. Karczewski's old shirts and usually refuses to eat.

Princess "looks at everyone who comes in, and when she realizes it's not him, she puts her head down and walks away," Philomena Karczewski said.

Mr. Karczewski was born in Bayonne, but spent his entire life in Union, his wife said.

Mr. Karczewski also is survived by his parents, Rose and Henry Karczewski of Union, and a sister, Donna Kavanaugh of Jackson.

A memorial gathering will be held from 10 a.m. to noon Oct. 27 at Haeberle & Barth in Union, followed by a memorial Mass at St. Genevieves Church in Elizabeth.

In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to the Charles H. Karczewski Memorial Scholarship, c/o the Rutgers University Foundation, 7 College Ave., New Brunswick, N.J. 08901.

Guest Book

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I gave blood today and they gave me a card in rememberence of Mr.Karczewski! I had to hold back tears as I read his name! I can't express how sorry I am that he is gone! I send you my love and prayers for Elizabethton, TN! Priscilla Letterman

Charlie is what i called him as we lived on the same block, i rember when i first met him i was riding my bicycle and my chain came off and i recall he was there when i was trying to fix it i was 5 years old,we whould hang out at the park play baseball, go to the YMCA. At the time you dont think the years are going to pass as life goes we went our seperate ways, so when i heard of his passing i was very much taken back as we all know life is short enough and to have to have your life...

For whatever reason this July 4th Charlie decided to visit me and let me know he was around.. The pitcher on my near championship Little League team.. He was just a good egg .. Always with a smile or a joke that could crack you up on the worst day. This July 4th I'm at Eagle Rock Reservation seeing Charlie's name and looking at the new Freedom Tower.. With tears in my eyes and a smile in my heart for my old friend.. You went too soon Charlie, but thank you for making me remember when we were...

Charles was remembered in Orlando Florida yesterday in it's 911 Memorial. All victums of this terrible event were honored with their names on US Flags and people in attendance were asked to choose one and honor their memory.

Miss you today and everyday !!!

Remembering you today Charles as I do every September 11th and when I go to Church on Sundays, I light a candle in honor of you and all souls that have passed. May you be in God's Eternal Peace.
Nila

We will always love you!!

10/25/07 my wife and i watched "flight 93" tonight. it was the first time she had seen it. when it was over,i told her that amoung those that perished,there was a karczewski that was called home to GOD,that was in one of the towers. i then looked up charles name on the computer. we will never forget,GOD BLESS us all,GOD BLESS THE USA.

In February, 1991, my best friend Sue and I went on a ski trip to Quebec City. It was a trip sponsored by Prudential, where Sue, and as it turned out, Chuck, worked. On the very first day of the trip, in the very early morning, we ran into Sue's friend Steve in the hotel lobby. Steve, Chuck and Steve's brother Michael were staying together in the hotel. I don't know quite how it happened, but the five of us got together shortly after breakfast and became instant friends. In fact, we almost...