It is with great sadness that Edwards Garment Company announced the unexpected loss of John Gunzler, Owner, Mentor and Friend.
Here is the message from Edwards.
He was the ultimate promoter for Edwards and was instrumental in helping guide the company and achieve the market reputation and success it has.
We all learned from John and he was the epitome of a gentleman and mentor. His impact at Edwards and on many others in our industry was immeasurable. We all miss him but are blessed to have had him be part of the Edwards family. John joined Edwards from the parent company Seminole Manufacturing and in short order forged lasting relationships with customers, suppliers and fellow associates through his passion for the business, his love of people and his honesty and integrity. In many ways, John came to epitomize Edwards.
He leaves his wife of 58 years, Marianne (Lesem) Gunzler, his daughters and son in laws Melissa and Jay Curwin and Nicole and Keith Oringer, four grandchildren Rebecca and Sara Curwin and Andrew and Eric Oringer, his brother Paul Gunzler, and many nieces, nephews, and close friends.
Born in Budapest, Hungary on May 12, 1935, the son of Ernest and Elizabeth Gunzler, the family survived the Hungarian Holocaust and moved to Italy on August 15, 1948. He attended a Catholic textile boarding school for three years, and came to the U.S. on April 29th, 1951. He joined Seminole Manufacturing Company a few years later and he has worked there ever since, eventually becoming a member of Seminole’s Board of Directors.
John had many passions. In his young adulthood he was the president of the Metropolitan Youth Hostels and he volunteered as a ski patrolman. He met the love of his life, Marianne, when leading a hike for the youth hostels. He became a member of the Board of the NY/NJ Trail Conference, as well as Center for Holocaust Studies at Ramapo College. He was also the president of the Bear’s Nest Condominium Association, where he lived. John had a passion for opera, art, music, hiking, skiing, tennis, sailing, food and so many other activities. An avid reader of the New York Times, he was self-educated. He will be sorely missed by all.
The family has requested that any memorial contributions be given to his beloved NY/NJ Trail Conference. https://www.nynjtc.org/donate.
