Charles Wansedel of Mount Clemmens, Mich., loved cars.

He earned his livelihood with cars as a supplier quality engineer for the mid-size and luxury car group at General Motors. With the company for more than 30 years, Mr. Wansedel was returning from a business trip in Utah.

Cars were an interest Mr. Wansedel shared with his wife of 17 years, Nancy.

''They would buy the cars, fix them up, and enter them into car contests,'' said Mr. Wansedel's sister-in-law, Kassey Wylin. ''Then they would sell them and use the money to buy more antique cars to work on.''

He even used cars for celebration. The Wansedels had planned to celebrate Mr. Wansedel's 51st birthday this weekend by attending the Detroit Auto Show.

Mr. Wansedel had four children, was a grandfather of nine.

A Richmond, Mich., resident for most of his life, Mr. Wansedel was a graduate of Richmond High School and Macomb Community College in Warren, Mich.