The last thing the city of Chester needed was another murder. The city has been making strides in terms of turning around its image. There have been huge advances in the city’s economy, much of it centered along the waterfront.
But crime remains a concern. The new year was little more than a day old when Chester suffered its first homicide of the year. It was also the first in the county.
Now comes word of another murder in Chester, and this one has struck a nerve in the community.
Sometime Friday night, gunmen entered the bus run by a very familiar face in the community.
Abe Farkas didn’t have to be on the streets of Chester selling groceries out of a converted bus. He wanted to be there. He thought he was making a difference in a city that does not have a major supermarket.
Farkas paid a steep price for that kind of commitment. He was shot several times by gunmen inside his bus. He never made it to the hospital.
Some people refer to Farkas as “Good Samaritan.” He was much more than that.
Farkas was a former cop. He and his wife also were members of the Peace Corps.
He was a well-known, beloved member of the community. That became obvious Saturday evening, when a crowd braved frigid temperatures and snow showers to attend a vigil in the city near the spot where police believe Farkas was shot and killed inside his bus.
Chester continues to have its problems. Farkas was one of the solutions.
He will be deeply missed, and almost impossible to replace.
His widow probably said it best.
“He just had the Peace Corps mentality,” said Maureen Beail-Farkas. “He was always going to save everybody.”
It’s a mentality Chester could use a lot more of.
But crime remains a concern. The new year was little more than a day old when Chester suffered its first homicide of the year. It was also the first in the county.
Now comes word of another murder in Chester, and this one has struck a nerve in the community.
Sometime Friday night, gunmen entered the bus run by a very familiar face in the community.
Abe Farkas didn’t have to be on the streets of Chester selling groceries out of a converted bus. He wanted to be there. He thought he was making a difference in a city that does not have a major supermarket.
Farkas paid a steep price for that kind of commitment. He was shot several times by gunmen inside his bus. He never made it to the hospital.
Some people refer to Farkas as “Good Samaritan.” He was much more than that.
Farkas was a former cop. He and his wife also were members of the Peace Corps.
He was a well-known, beloved member of the community. That became obvious Saturday evening, when a crowd braved frigid temperatures and snow showers to attend a vigil in the city near the spot where police believe Farkas was shot and killed inside his bus.
Chester continues to have its problems. Farkas was one of the solutions.
He will be deeply missed, and almost impossible to replace.
His widow probably said it best.
“He just had the Peace Corps mentality,” said Maureen Beail-Farkas. “He was always going to save everybody.”
It’s a mentality Chester could use a lot more of.
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