Obituary: Charles "Chuck" Graham

CHARLES “CHUCK” GRAHAM

1937 – APRIL 8, 2023

Charles Graham, known to friends as Chuck, was born in Manhattan, New York. He moved to Staten Island, New York, at the age of 4. He resided there until 2001 before moving to Winter Garden, Florida.

In 1971, Chuck married Arline, who passed in 2011. He is survived by Arline’s children, his stepchildren, Linda Silva and Jeffrey Larosa. He also is survived by four granddaughters, Danielle, Kayla, Briana and Nicole; and two great-grandsons, Jax and Luca.

Chuck graduated from Charles Evans Hughes Trade School in Manhattan. As a young man, Chuck owned and operated Wimpy’s Burgers in Port Richmond, Staten Island, until the sewer project on Richmond Avenue caused him to close the business due to no vehicular traffic on the once-busy thoroughfare.

In the early 1960s, he was hired at the Brooklyn Navy Yard to convert the electric powered tools to pneumatic power tools, due to the historic Brooklyn Navy Yard fire. Being totally blind at this point, he had to prove himself qualified. As he said, “I knocked them out as fast as they supplied them to me.” They kept him employed until the closing of the Navy Yard, a few years after starting there.

After that, he was hired by the Department of Army at Fort Monmouth Army Base in New Jersey as a bench mechanic. There, he worked in the auto pool rebuilding alternators and starters, and cutting brake drums and rotors. He retired from the government in 1988.

Next, he bought and operated a Laundromat for 10 years, doing most of the machine repairs himself with his good friend, Joe.

For 25 years, Chuck was active in Lions Club, the Pioneers, Knights of Columbus and the local community board. In the latter, at times, he chaired transportation and land-use committees. Chuck also was president of the Staten Island Blind Society, where he and Arline were members. He also was a member of the Lighthouse for the Blind. He was an active participant in the State Island Blind Bowlers League. He also started a blind bowlers league at Carter Family Bowl in Winter Garden, Florida.

A graveside ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. April 29, 2023, where Chuck’s ashes will be placed with his wife, Arline, in the Winter Garden Cemetery. Anyone wishing to attend is welcome.