PHOTO RELEASE: Gottheimer Celebrates 102nd Birthday of Bergen County Veteran and World War II Hero

Above: Gottheimer visits with 102-year-old Charlie Wolf of Fair Lawn. 

FAIR LAWN, NJ — U.S. Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) visited Fair Lawn resident Charlie Wolf to celebrate his 102nd birthday and honor his extraordinary service to our nation during World War II.

Gottheimer brought a flag flown over the U.S. Capitol in Charlie’s honor and personally thanked him for his three years of service in the U.S. Army and his decades of dedication to the Fair Lawn community.

“Charlie Wolf is exactly who we should all aspire to be. At 102-years-old, he’s reading the news on his iPad, always smiling, and still proving that age is just a number. That’s Charlie,” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5).

Gottheimer continued, “Our seniors are the heart and soul of North Jersey, and Charlie Wolf is the heart of Fair Lawn. It was a true honor to celebrate his birthday and thank him in person for everything he’s given to our country and our community.”

Charlie Wolf, a Fair Lawn resident since 1969, was born in Montreal and raised in New York. He served three years in the U.S. Army as a nursing assistant during World War II, stationed at the 54th General Hospital in New Guinea before being transferred to Tokyo near the end of the war. He received his military medals in 2016 — 70 years after his service — during a surprise ceremony at Pearl Harbor.

After the war, Charlie built a life as a small business owner and was married to his wife, Ellen, for 53 years. He has one daughter, a grandson, a granddaughter, and two great-granddaughters. 

Charlie is a fixture at the Fair Lawn Senior Center and taught a computer class for seniors at the Kaplen JCC on the Palisades in the early 2000s. When asked the secret to a long life, he credits tea with honey, animal crackers, and staying active.

Below: Gottheimer visits with 102-year-old Charlie Wolf of Fair Lawn.