Edward Charles Novak, a retired Baltimore County educator and a master carpenter, died Saturday of lung cancer at Gilchrist Center for Hospice Care. The longtime Churchville resident was 65.

Mr. Novak was born and raised in Massena, N.Y. In 1965, he earned a bachelor's degree in technical education and four years later, a master's degree in the subject, from the State University of New York at Oswego.

He taught at Brushton-Moira Central School in Brushton, N.Y., and at SUNY Oswego before joining the faculty of Perry Hall Middle School in 1972.

Mr. Novak later taught technical education at Cockeysville, Patapsco and Golden Ring middle schools. He retired in 2002. He had lived in Churchville since 1975 and built a home there.

"He did everything from the electrical to the plumbing but didn't do the heating system," said his wife of 41 years, the former Arlene Guzicki, a retired special-education teacher. "He also did all the brickwork."

In addition to making furniture and cabinets, Mr. Novak carved wooden Santa Claus figures that his wife painted.

"They were three-dimensional and old world-looking," his wife said. "We would sell them at the Bel Air Art Festival."

Mr. Novak also enjoyed riding his bicycle, golfing and working in his vegetable and flower gardens.

He was a member for 33 years of St. Margaret Roman Catholic Church, 141 N. Hickory Ave., in Bel Air, where a Mass of Christian burial will be offered at 10 a.m. today.

Also surviving are two sons, Mark J. Novak of Palm Bay, Fla., and Christopher E. Novak of Browns Summit, N.C.; a daughter, Stephanie E. Novak of St. Louis; two brothers, Peter Novak of Palm Coast, Fla., and Alson Novak of Massena; three sisters, Mary Ellen O'Neil of Schenectady, N.Y., Martha Fletcher of New Hartford, N.Y., and Carolyn Buttonschon of Mohawk, N.Y.; his stepmother, Elizabeth Theresa Novak of Massena; and three grandchildren.