Charles T Graham

CHARLES GRAHAM KNOWN TO FRIENDS AS CHUCK WAS BORN IN MANHATTAN, NEW YORK. HE MOVED TO STATEN ISLAND, NY AT THE AGE OF 4. HE RESIDED THERE UNTIL 2001 BEFORE MOVING TO WINTER GARDEN FL. IN 1971 CHUCK MARRIED ARLINE WHO PASSED IN 2011. HE IS SUVIVED BY ARLINE’S CHILDREN, HIS STEP CHIDREN LINDA SILVA AND JEFFREY LAROSA. ALSO SURVIVED BY FOUR GRAND DAUGHTERS DANIELLE, KAYLA, BRIANA, NICOLE AND TWO GREAT GRANDSONS, JAX AND LUCA.

CHUCK GRADUATED CHARLES EVANS HUGHS TRADE SCHOOL IN MANHATTAN. AS A YOUNG MAN CHUCK OWNED AND OPERATED WHIMPIES 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 THOROUGH FARE. IN THE EARLY 1960’S HE WAS HIRED AT THE BROOKLYN NAVY YARD TO CONVERT THE ELECTRIC POWERED TOOLS TO PNUEMATIC POWER TOOLS, DUE TO THE HISTORIC BROOKLYN NAVY YARD FIRE. BEING TOTALY 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 MOMOUTH ARMY BASE IN NEW JERSEY AS A BENCH MECHANIC. THERE HE WORKED IN THE AUTO POOL REBUILDING ALTERNATORS AND STARTERS, ALSO CUTTING BRAKE DRUMS AND ROTORS. HE RETIRED FROM THE GOVERNMENT IN 1988. NEXT HE BOUGHT AND OPERATED A LAUNDROMAT FOR TEN 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. THE LATER, AT TIMES HE CHAIRED TRANSPORTATION AND LAND USE COMMITEES. CHUCK WAS ALSO THE PRESIDENT OF THE STATEN ISLAND BLIND SOCIETY, WHERE HE AND ARLINE WERE MEMVERS. HE WAS ALSO A MEMBER OF THE LIGHTHOUSE FOR THE BLIND. HE WAS AN ACTIVE PARTICIPANT IN THE STATEN ISLAND BLIND BOWLERS LEAGUE. HE ALSO STARTED A BLIND BOWLLERS LEAGUE AT CARTERS FAMILY BOWLING IN WINTER GARDEN FL.

ON APRIL 29TH 2023 AT 10:00 A.M. A GRAVESIDE CEREMONY WILL BE HELD WHERE CHUCK’S ASHES WILL BE PLACED WITH HIS WIFE ARLINE IN THE WINTER GARDEN CEMETERY.