Raymond P. Czwakiel

Saratoga Springs, NY-CZWAKIEL, Raymond Peter (Ray), age 89, of Saratoga Springs, New York, passed away peacefully on August 5, 2026. He was preceded in death by his wife of 58 years Charlotte(Lolly) Woodward Czwakiel; his parents, Martin and Helen Czwakiel; his brother, Bert Czwakiel, and sister-in-law, Delores Kekosa Czwakiel; and his son-in-law Moustafa Manar Alsebai. Ray is survived by his beloved children Raymond Paul Czwakiel, Deborah Alsebai (Manar), Bruce Czwakiel (Lisa), Robert Czwakiel (Diane), and Charlotte Buy (Ugo); eleven grandchildren (Solana, Miranda, Shareen, Ayla, Andrew (& Olivia), Thomas, Emma, Abigail, Alessandro, Sofia and Francesco), nieces (Teresa Rossi, Patty Morris, Rebecca Osborne), extended family and friends, including Marguerite Bordeau, whom he met and found love and companionship with after moving to Saratoga Raised in Schenectady, NY, Ray graduated from St. Joseph’s Academy, then earned a B.S in Physics from Villanova University . Ray spent the vast majority of his working years as a Civil Servant for the U.S. Air Force, beginning his career at Rome Air Development Center at Griffis AFB in New York, then Wright Patterson AFB in Ohio, and finally Hanscom AFB in Massachusetts. Throughout his career his work efforts contributed to advanced aerospace and defense programs both in the U.S and abroad. In addition to numerous Air Force service awards, he was recognized early in his career by the National Enquirer (“Enquiring minds want to know!”) for the “in the field” photographic film development device that he invented to aid in espionage activities [think James Bond’s pre-mission spy device supplier ;-]. Ray’s final work project leading up to his retirement brought him to the remote, northernmost point of Norway, where he particularly enjoyed regular breakfasts of seagull eggs and pickled herring. A dedicated community volunteer, Ray served in the Parent Teacher Association at his children's elementary school, as a coach for his sons’ Kiwanis League Baseball Teams, and as an adult leader for his sons’ Boy Scout troops. He was an active participant in the Catholic Church in each of the communities in which he lived and spent many happy years singing with the award-winning Granite Statesmen Barbershop Chorus, traveling to national and international singing competitions with Lolly. Ray and Lolly shared a love of family time, spending many a summer weekend and summer vacation enjoying the cabin (the “Camp”) that Ray, his brother Bert, and their mom and dad had built on the shore of the newly-created Sacandaga Reservoir. This treasured family resource was the driving force behind Ray’s relocation to nearby Saratoga Springs upon his wife Lolly’s death, and continues to serve as one of the primary places where the extended Czwakiel family gathers and strengthens the bonds among and between the generations. Ray will be remembered for his steadfast dedication to supporting his family, his profession, and his community, as well as his interest in identifying birds, and his lifelong passions of gardening and fishing, the quest to grow the perfect tomato, and to catch the one that got away. Services will be held at St. Madeline Sophie Church, 3500 Carmen Road, Schenectady, NY at 10:30 on Monday, August 10, 2026 Interment will follow at Our Lady of Angels Cemetery, 1389 Central Avenue Colonie, NY.

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Raymond P. Czwakiel

May 15, 1937 - August 5, 2026