Remembering a ‘gentle, kind’ man

(Page 2 of 2)

“Back then, we used revolvers,” Tangney said. “I was hired with four others, and he took us for the first two or three days and taught us about firearms, the law, safety — it was a crash course.”

Tangney described Chalvien as knowledgeable, compassionate and someone who made working tough hours pleasant — a colleague who left a lasting impression among members of the police department.

“He was a gentle, kind and considerate man, and someone you could rely on,” he said. “He always came to work happy, always had a smile on his face. We used to change shifts every week. He was a pleasure to see the first shift — it was a nice way to start your day.”

Outside of Chalvien’s accomplishments with the police department, relatives, including his nephew, Michael Doyle, 29, of Gouldsboro, Pennsylvania, said Chalvien was someone who enjoyed a slew of hobbies, including fishing, hunting and music, and remained incredibly active in life.

“He loved his firearms — shooting was his thing,” Michael said. “He had a farm upstate. We’d go hunting for white-tailed deer. He loved duck hunting. He enjoyed fishing, and he played guitar, too.”

Josephine added: “He’d go upstate and play at local music conventions and he’d be called the Elvis Presley of Long Beach. He always had a good time.”

When he retired, Michael said, he enjoyed visiting his farm and growing oats and buckwheat, and also enjoyed carpentry. What he will miss most about Chalvien, he said, is his intelligence, and the time they shared discussing history and family.

“He was very accurate, very sharp. He had a heck of a memory,” Michael said. “I will miss talking to him. You could talk about the old days. The Great Depression, World War II. He’d tell me a lot of old stories about the family. He was a good storyteller.”

Josephine echoed those sentiments. “We had a terrific family life,” she said. “He had a nice way about him. He’ll be missed.”

Page 2 / 2