Gar-Wood Nordenholz Burwell of Madison, NJ passed away at the age of 96. Born January 5, 1928, in Orange, NJ to Lester Taylor Burwell and Hilda Marie Nordenholz. Gar is survived by 4 children, 6 grandchildren and 17 great-grandchildren.
Gar grew up in Maplewood and graduated from Columbia High School after a year and a half at Valley Forge Military Academy. He attended Syracuse University and graduated with a degree in English. Following graduation, he enlisted in the Air Force as a communications officer. Once discharged, he went to work full-time for the business his father started – the Rails Company – and spent summers out with the rail gangs installing rail fasteners. When his father passed on, he was appointed president.
Gar-Wood was inquisitive and inventive and always interested in staying abreast of developing technologies. His mother described him as one “having a scientific mind”. He could have been a doctor but chose not to go to Europe for medical school. During his later teen years, she commented “the backyard was often covered with motorcycle parts and assemblies”—trying to make them go faster. He owned several with which he would commute to Syracuse University, even in winter. Racing friends on Wyoming Avenue was not uncommon. He was an amateur radio builder/operator from early on.
He purchased his first single engine airplane at 18 yrs old. Years later, he acquired a twin beech and won several air rally competitions. Lake Amphibian and Sail-planes of various sorts were favorites.
While in the military, he married Mariana Hiser in October 1951, with whom he had four sons. The favorite summer family vacation spot was Silver Bay on Lake George, NY. With the help of his friends in the community and at Silver Bay he became an accomplished and competitive tennis player.
While at Rails Company he invented a snow detector and railroad bridge tie anchor design. He developed a pneumatic, centralized railway track lubrication system which became standard on the New York City Transit subway system.
Gar made time to mentor and counsel his sons. While a youngster, his father was away most of the time for business. Gar was determined to do better and this he did. He put his sons to work Saturdays and during school vacations at the family business. He also participated in YMCA camp-outs and YMCA birthday pool parties, house and yard maintenance activities, motor boating, amateur radio, tennis, scuba, and winter ski trips. He set up a shooting range in the basement and gave his boys their first lessons in safety, operation, and maintenance of firearms.
Gar-Wood was a very social person dedicated to his friends and valued the close relationships he had developed. He enjoyed getting out for all sorts of social and physical events and loved New Jersey, Morris County and especially the area around Madison. Any discussion of potentially moving out of the area was met with either silence or disapproval. He was active many local organizations and supported others as he had time and resources. These include the YMCA, Madison Presbyterian Church, Madison Library, Morristown Memorial hospital, and the Noe Pond club.