LCDR C.J. (Charles John) Brucklier, Jr., USPHS (Ret)

LCDR C.J. (Charles John) Brucklier, Jr., USPHS (Ret), age 55, of Savannah, passed away on Friday, January 16, 2026, with family by his side.

LCDR Brucklier was born on August 8, 1970, in Buffalo, New York. He attended Cardinal O'Hara High School and graduated in 1988. He earned a dental hygiene degree, completed a Bachelor’s in Anthropology, his qualifying degree, and then, most recently, a Master of Healthcare Management.

CJ was considered one of the funniest guys around in every school he attended. CJ was an avid music fan and a talented musician. Although he never learned to read music, he could play anything by ear. He learned to play the drums, which he loved, from his uncle Angelo Brucklier. Charles was a die-hard Buffalo Bills and Buffalo Sabres fan.

He has always been a traveler who moved from Buffalo, New York, to Big Sky, Montana, and eventually to Beaufort, South Carolina, where he worked at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, as a civilian dental hygienist. During this time, he met the love of his life, April, a few minutes past Midnight on New Year’s Day in 1999. They were married on September 7, 2002, at The Cathedral Basilica of St. John the Baptist.

Because of his love for serving others, CJ continued his work in dental hygiene by entering the Commissioned Corps of the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS). He served with Indian Health Service, Health Resources and Services Administration, and ICE Health Service Corps. While serving in the USPHS, he was stationed in Oklahoma, Maryland, New York City, California, and then back to New York, where he retired after 20 years of service.

CJ always helped with the family business, Baker’s Pride Bakery, whenever he was available. Being Italian, he had a great love of cooking and enjoying great food. CJ was the first person to help or lend a hand at any party he attended. He had an amazing knack for picking the perfect gift, no matter how far he had to go to get it, or how much it cost.

He was preceded in death by his father, Charles J. Brucklier, Sr

Survivors include his wife, April Brucklier; mother, Nancy Brucklier; brother, Mike (Allison); and sister, Bridgette Chorbajian (Gil); three nieces, Emily and Kate Chorbajian and Charley Brucklier; and nephew, Auggie Brucklier, brother-in-law and sister-in-law, Al Lang and Tricia Lang, two nephews, Josh (Madeline) Lang, and Andrew Lang, and several aunts and uncles.

A funeral service will be held on Tuesday, January 27, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at Baker McCullough Funeral Home, Hodgson Memorial Chapel (7415 Hodgson Memorial Drive, Savannah, GA 31406).

Interment will follow at Bonaventure Cemetery.

Visitation will be held one hour prior to the service at the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, remembrances may be made to The Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration, www.theaftd.org.