Edward Wenceslaus Chojnowski Sr., a retired chemical laboratory supervisor and former president of the Anne Arundel County Board of Elections, died of congestive heart failure Feb. 2 in his Annapolis home. He was 77.

Born and raised in the Curtis Bay section of Baltimore, Mr. Chojnowski graduated from Southern High School in 1949. He spent two years as a lab technician for the DuPont plant in Baltimore before enlisting in the Navy in 1951. He served during the Korean War as a gunner's mate aboard the heavy cruiser USS Helena.

Upon leaving the Navy in 1955, Mr. Chojnowski resumed his career as a lab technician that included more than a decade at DuPont and 27 years at FMC Corp., where he retired in 1996 as a laboratory supervisor.

Mr. Chojnowski grew up on the same street as Vivian Waytekunas, whom he took to their junior prom. They later married and moved to the Greenwood Acres community in Annapolis, where Mr. Chojnowski spent the final 51 years of his life.

One of his biggest passions was politics.

"He just believed in good government," Vivian Chojnowski said. "Voting was very important, so he was very, very pleased when he was appointed to the elections board."

Mr. Chojnowski served on the county election board from 1991 until 2005, the last two years as president, Mrs. Chojnowski said.

Previously, she said, he twice worked on the campaigns of Rep. Marjorie S. Holt, a Republican who became the first Maryland woman elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 1972.

Mr. Chojnowski was also a passionate sports fan who played football in high school and later on a club team in the area. "He was a big, big, big, Colt fan," Mrs. Chojnowski said.

Services have been held.

In addition to his wife of 56 years, he is survived by two sons, Edward Chojnowski Jr. of Seaford, Del., and Robert Chojnowski of Havre de Grace; and four grandchildren.

josh.mitchell@baltsun.com