The Alternative Press

CHATHAM BOROUGH, NJ - A memorial dedication was held for the late Charles Dziedzic Saturday afternoon, Oct. 27, at the Chatham Borough Department of Public Works.

The former deputy director of the Chatham Borough Department of Public Works was killed in a traffic accident while visiting Arkansas in April. 

Dziedzic was an employee of Chatham Borough for 22 years and touched many people’s lives along the way.

The memorial was filled with residents and co-workers of Dziedzic’s who all fondly remember his daily presence. 

Director of Public Works, Bob Venezia, told the crowd that Dziedzic was such a giving person. 

“Whether at work or at home, whenever someone needed anything, Charlie never said no,” Venezia said.  “Over time he gathered so much love from everyone.”

Venezia said that it’s hard to put into words how great of a man he was, but he loved that Dziedzic was such a fun, loving, and easygoing person. 

“We had such a nice bond.  He kept me grounded and he kept all of us at Public Works on a nice level all the time,” Venezia said. 

After Venezia’s speech, he unveiled the stone memorial to Dziedzic’s wife and two daughters.

Supervisor of Water Operations for Utilities, Tony Torello, agreed with Venezia.

“My favorite thing about Charlie was that he was always there if you needed a hand.  He would always go out of his way to help,” Torello said.

Torello told The Alternative Press that when he found out about Charlie’s accident, he was in “shock and disbelief.”

“It felt like a nightmare.  I just never thought I would come into work and hear news like that,” Torello said.

He added that he misses going to work in the morning and receiving his daily greeting from Dziedzic.

“I miss hearing him in the morning when I walk into my office,” Torello said.  “He was always the first one here.  I hate that I’m not going to hear ‘Good morning Tony’ anymore.”

According to Torello, all of the town’s departments chipped in to make the memorial possible.