AUGUSTIS EDWIN "GUS" GONDOLF SR.  was born in Phialdelphia, Pennsylvania on March 8, 1892. His father, Edward Gondolff was the son of Peter Gondolff Sr., who brought his family to the United States from the Alsace-Lorraine region of France. The family first settled in Pennsylvania. Most of the Gonfolff sonsdripped the second "f" during their early years in the United States. In the 1890s Edward Gondolff, the only son who did not change his name, came to Camden and became the owner of 409 Market Street, adjacent to the Temple Theater, where he ran a bar and restaurant known as the Temple Bar & Hotel. It was here that Gus Gondolf (who DID drop the second "f") grew up.

Gus Gondolf apprenticed as a stationary engineer on coal furnaces, and seeing which way the wind was blowing, became one of Camden's first auto mechanics. By 1917 he owned his own garage. At that time he and his wife Winifred resided at 414 Beckett Street in South Camden with their two sons, Edward and Donald. A third son, Augustus E. "Gus" Gondolf Jr. was born on March 29, 1918.

 During the 1920s the Gondolf family moved to Parkside, residing at 1462 Belleview Avenue. By 1942 he was working as the Superintendent of the New Jersey state motor vehicle inspection station at 1140 Wright Avenue. Tragedy struck the Gondolf family in December 7, 1944 when oldest son Edward Gondolf was killed in action during the fighting around Lemberg, France.

Gus Gondolf Sr. died in 1951 and was buried at Harleigh Cemetery. His wife, last a resident of somerdale NJ, joined him in 1976.