Introduction
Edmund F. Gorczynski
Edmund F. Gorczynski was born in Camden, New Jersey on March 29, 1932 to Vincent Gorczynski and his wife, the former Anne Jurczykowski. His mother was born in Poland, and had come to the United States in 1911 with her mother and siblings, her father having arrived in 1907. Vincent and Anne Gorczynski and older sister Eleanor were living with Anne’s family at 1236 Liberty Street when the census was taken in April of 1930.
The 1940, 1943 and 1947 City Directories show the Gorczynski family at 1021 Atlantic Avenue. The family maintained a presence as late as 1994.
Edmund F. Gorczynski joined the United States Army in 1952 and served for two years. Not long after leaving the Army, he married Madeline Mastrangelo. The Gorczynskis were blessed with two sons, Michael and John.
On September 28, 1962 Edmund F. Gorczynski was appointed to the Camden Fire Department. He reported for duty for the first time on October 1, 1962. In January of 1969 he was promoted to Captain. He retired on January 1, 1990.
Prior to Camden lifting its residency requirements for firefighters in the 1970s, Edmund F. Gorczynski and family lived at 272 North 33rd Street in East Camden. The family subsequently moved to Cherry Hill, New Jersey, where oldest son Michael was a star football player in the mid-1970s at Cherry Hill High School East.
Edmund F. Gorczynski passed away on April 20, 2014, survived by his wife, sons, and five grandchildren.
Police, Fire Tests Take Heavy Toll
Camden Courier-Post —
Courier-Post Bureau
TRENTON — The high rate of failures on police and fire examinations was repeated yesterday in the Civil Service Department’s announcement of the results of tests for fire captain and patrolman in Camden City.
In the captain’s test, 23 passed, 64 failed and two did not show up for the test. In the test for patrolman, 10 passed, 32 failed and 14 failed to show. In the non-residents’ test for Camden patrolman, six passed, eight failed and five did not appear.
In the fire captain’s test, Kenneth M. Clark of 111 North 26th St., Camden, a veteran, qualified with a score of 92.6, highest for the seven veterans who qualified. Joseph R. Gfrorer of 3040 N. Constitution Road, Camden, was highest of applicants with a score of 96.5.
In the residents’ patrolman test, Robert D. Craig of 817 Vine Street was high with 78. In the non resident’s test, Edwin B. Hoffman of 514 Walnut Street, Audubon, a veteran qualified with 72.2 and Flem J. Hopkins Jr. of 113 Estates Ave., Pine Hill, was high with 78.
Others who passed the fire captain’s test were:
George D. Getty of 1111 N. 34 St., 95.4; John DiMaggio of 319 Beckett St., 94; Joseph J. Anderson of 2406 Denfield St., 92.96; Phillip A. Maycott of 2836 Lincoln Ave., 90.5; James McMaster of 402 N. 37th St., 90.2; William D. Hillman of 3071 Constitution Rd., 89.4; Joseph Arensberg of 1041 N. 32nd St., 88.3; Robert E. Briggs of 2861 Congress Road, veteran, 86.3; John S. Brzozowski of 371 N. 34th St., 86.2; Edmund F. Gorczynski of 272 N. 33rd St., veteran, 85.4; Anthony F. Orme of 3317 River Ave., veteran, 82.4; William J. Young of 1126 N. 33rd St., 80.5; William D. Ayers of 2846 Pierce Ave., veteran, 79.1; Joseph Dowhy Sr., of 866 Beideman Ave., veteran, 78.9; James O. Jones of 3214 Mitchell St., 78.3; Joseph Chelhowski of 1324 Sheridan St., veteran, 75.8; James T. Robinson of 504 Trenton Ave., 75.5; Anthony D. Moffa of 23 Leonard Ave., 73.3; Robert E. Davenport of 1026 Reeves Ave., 73; John F. Gaffney Jr., of 78 S. Dudley St., 72.8, and Albert E. Collum Jr., of 2409 Howell St., 72.6.
Patrolman (residents) who passed:
Joseph A. Fox of 2117 Mount Ephraim Ave., 77.1; Charles W. Cahilly 2d of 2015 Westminster Ave., 75.; Edward B. Bush of 3210 Mitchell St., 78.9; John F. Oppmann of 550 N. 30th St., 77.7; Gary E. Miller of 486-A Rand St., 77.4; Donald J. Tymusczuk of 2737 Concord Ave., 75.1; Joseph A. Broccoli of 1467 Pershing St., 74.2; Richard W. Merta of 1641 Pulaski St., 72.9, and Robert G. Gibson of 572 Clinton St., 72.6.
Patrolman (nonresidents) who passed:
Flem J. Hopkins Jr., 78; Elwood L. Ridge, 75.4; Joseph E. Benton, 74.7; David Vautier Jr., 74.1, and Frank R. Pedano, 73.8.
Family of Six Escapes Fire
Camden Courier-Post —
A Camden mother and her six children escaped without injury from a two-alarm fire that destroyed the interior of their home at 832 N. 3rd St. last night, but two firemen were slightly burned while fighting the blaze.
Acting Btn. Chief John Gryckiewicz, 50, of 36th and Fairfax Streets and Hoseman Edmund Gorczynski, 36, of 272 N. 33rd St. were treated at Cooper Hospital for burns of the face and hands.
Mrs. Girlene Garrett and her children fled to homes of neighbors when the 6 p.m. fire broke out. Firemen controlled the blaze within 20 minutes.
25 Firemen Finish Training
Camden Courier-Post —
In a move aimed at staffing the Camden Fire Department for a new 42-hour work week, 25 probationary firemen will be graduated from the city fire academy Monday and 10 fire officers will be given promotions Tuesday.
Heading the list of fire officer promotions will be the selection of Battalion Chief Anthony C. Saponare, 51, of 117 S. 27th Street, Camden, as deputy fire chief. The new deputy chief is a 26-year veteran on the city fire force.
Two fire captains to be promoted to battalion chief are Matthew J. Davies, Jr., 36, of 2819 Carman Street, Camden, and James H. Stewart, 54, of 317 Garden Avenue, Camden.
Seven firemen to be named captains include William D. Hillman, 29, of 11 Crestfair Apartments, Camden; Joseph H. Arensberg, 32, of 1041 N. 32nd Street, Camden; Robert E. Briggs, 48, of 2861 Congress Road, Camden; and John Brzozowski, 28, 371 N. 34th Street, Camden.
Also to be named captains are Edmund F. Gorczynski, 36, of 272 N. 33rd Street, Camden; Anthony T. Orme, 44, 3317 River Road, Camden; and William B. Young, 29, of 1126 N. 33rd Street, Camden.
The new firemen include Richard E. Johnson, Thomas H. Eckel, Ronald C. Crowder, John A. DeLuca, Peter P. Carbone, Robert P. Hand, Robert M. Lapp, Jerome A. Kee, Thomas V. Kane, Charles E. Mayo, James C. Peterson and George S. Szychulski, all of Camden.
Other slated fire school graduates are Ronald Angemi, Robert C. Welch, Robert G. Boyle, Glenn H. Moore, Marvin W. Bendy, Thomas J. DiBiaso, Arthur J. Gibson, Daniel J. Galasso, Samuel Battle Jr., Ronald J. Boyle, Jerome J. Watson, George R. Abbey, 3rd., and William H. Huelas, all of Camden.
The appointments of all 35 men become effective Jan. 1, 1969.
Camden Division of Fire
Personnel Record
Camden Division of Fire Personnel Record — Edmund F. Gorczynski, appointed September 28, 1962
Obituary
Camden Courier-Post —
Edmund F. Gorczynski
AGE: 82 • Cherry Hill
Edmund passed away on April 20, 2014. Age 82. Beloved husband of Madeline (nee Mastrangelo) for 58 years. Loving father of Michael Gorczynski and his wife Randi of Temecula, CA and John Gorczynski and his wife Sharon of Magnolia, NJ. Proud grandfather of Marisa, Sara, Michael, Lori and John. Edmund served in the US Army during the Korean War from 1952–1954. After the war, he was a firefighter for the City of Camden for 29 years, where he retired as a Captain. Relatives and friends are invited to the viewing on Thursday April 24th from 9:15–10:45 AM at St. Andrew the Apostle Catholic Church, 27 Kresson-Gibbsboro Rd., Gibbsboro, NJ 08026. Mass of Christian Burial will be 11:00 AM at the church on Thursday. Interment will follow at Calvary Cemetery, Cherry Hill, NJ.