Born May 18, 1956 in Brooklyn, Charles was the son of Charles C. and Josephine (Hoey) Gunzelman. He graduated from Bethpage High School on Long Island before earning his Associate’s Degree from SUNY Farmingdale. He served New York City as a police officer where he was assigned to rescue and recovery at the World Trade Center after 9/11.

He retired in 2002 and worked part-time for B&D Automotive in Brightwaters, LI.  He retired again and moved upstate where he bought 16 acres of land in Pharsalia. He enjoyed hunting on his land with his friends. He also loved NASCAR and attended the Daytona 500. He was a devoted uncle who loved to take his nephews camping and to Disney World.  Charlie is survived by his sister, Joanne Alcabes and her husband, Michael, of Sayville, NY, and his four nephews and their wives, Michael T. and Kara Alcabes and Robert and Kelly Alcabes, all of Sayville, William and Samantha Alcabes, of Winter Garden, FL, and Thomas and Ellen Alcabes, of Sayville.

Sergeant Charles R. Gunzelman joined the New York City Transit Police Department on January 29, 1982. He was promoted to sergeant in December 1993. A 30-year veteran of the NYPD, Sergeant Gunzelman served in several commands during his career, including Transit Districts 20 and 23. Over the course of his time with the Department, he was recognized once for Excellent Police Duty and once for Meritorious Police Duty. Sergeant Gunzelman retired on May 1, 2002. He died on May 31, 2015.