Funeral services for beloved West Philly community activist and acting executive director of UC Green, Winnie Harris, who was found shot to death in her Powelton home last Friday, will take place Monday, Feb. 13.

The funeral will be at the Christ Community Church of Philadelphia (4017 Chestnut St.), beginning at 10 a.m. A closed casket Memorial Hour will begin at 9 a.m. Burial will be at the West Laurel Hill Cemetery, 215 Belmont Avenue, in Bala Cynwyd, followed by a reception for family and friends.

A number of community organizations where Harris, a longtime Powelton resident and green space advocate, has been involved with posted their messages grieving her tragic death.  Continue Reading

Akyra Murray (photo from Westcatholic.org)

A West Philadelphia woman, Akyra Murray, 18, was confirmed as one of the victims of the mass shooting that happened on early Sunday morning at the Pulse nightclub in Orlando, Fl.

Akyra graduated from West Catholic High School last week and was on a family vacation in Florida to celebrate graduation and visit her brother, according to information posted on the West Catholic High School website.

“… Akyra was a superstar who was a leader amongst her classmates and teammates,” the posting on the website reads. “She was an honors student whom graduated third in her class, and a 1,000 point scorer on the Lady Burrs basketball team. Akyra recently signed a letter of intent to play basketball at Mercyhurst College. May God bless Akyra’s soul and provide comfort to all family and friends during this very troubling time.”

The school will be holding a vigil service on Wednesday, June 15, at 6 p.m. in the school auditorium to honor Akyra’s memory. Out of respect for those closest to Akyra, the vigil will be private to the school and family community only.

There will be a vigil for the Orlando massacre victims tonight at City Hall (meeting at the North East corner), from 6:30 – 9:30 p.m. If you can please bring a candle. More information is available on the event’s Facebook page.

A University City High School graduate, Patience Carter, was wounded in the shooting and is expected to recover.

We’re very sad to report that Cheryl Roebuck, a veteran music teacher, Garden Court community activist, and wife of State Rep. Jim Roebuck, passed away last week.

Mrs. Roebuck has worked for the School District of Philadelphia for over thirty years. She has also been active in her West Philadelphia community for over twenty years. She has served as the secretary of the University City Arts League and was a board member of the Garden Court Community Association.

Funeral services for Mrs. Roebuck will be held on Friday, June 10, at Arch Street United Methodist Church, 55 N. Broad Street. Visitation with the family will be from 10:00 a.m. –12:00 p.m.; service starts at 12:00 p.m.

Photo from Parentinfantcenter.org

The Parent Infant Center and Spruce Hill community have lost a long-time resident and leader. Cindy Roberts, a former PIC parent and in the recent years, their Executive Director, passed away on February 10th after a year-long battle with cancer. She was 62.

A tribute to Roberts posted on the PIC website reads that even in the face of illness, she “continued to show her grace, never-ending generosity, and wonderfully quick wit.”

Roberts and her family moved to West Philly in 1985 and enrolled their two-year-old daughter at PIC. She was a “part of PIC’s culture for more than 30 years — first as a parent, then as a Board member, and finally as an administrator and Executive Director,” according to PIC’s tribute.

Cindy Roberts serving dessert at Charles Dickens’ Birthday Party in Clark Park in February 2013. (Photo from Friendsofclarkpark.org)

Roberts served as PIC’s Executive Director from 2007 to 2012. She led the expansion of the center and worked on the increase of access to quality pre-kindergarten to at-risk children and families. During her PIC leadership years, she was also behind the development of the innovative outdoor learning space, “Magic Circle.”

Roberts was also a fixture in the Spruce Hill neighborhood. She served as president of the Spruce Hill Community Association and of the Friends of Clark Park. According to Philly.com, Roberts, along with her husband Daniel R. Biddle, “was a tireless civic worker and the driving force behind the revival of Clark Park, just a few blocks from the couple’s home.”

A Memorial Service for Cindy Roberts will take place at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 27 at the Arch Street Friends Meetinghouse, 320 Arch Street. The family asks that donations in her memory be made to fund pre-K slots for disadvantaged children at the Parent Infant Center, 4205 Locust Street.

Memorial services will be held Saturday for Edward Fell, a beloved long-time member of the Calvary United Methodist Church who died unexpectedly earlier this month.

“Ed was in many ways both the heart and face of Calvary – a long-time and active member and lay leader, as well as church administrator, building manager and community liasion,” read a message from the church. “As Pastor John (Pritchard) wrote in a letter to the congregation earlier today, ‘Ed’s deep faith, his devotion to Calvary, his service as ambassador of the Calvary community, his gentle spirit and cheery voice were gifts he gave to us all and gifts that we will deeply miss.'”

The public is welcome to the service on Saturday, Feb. 13.

Here is the schedule:

9-10 a.m.: Viewing (chapel)
10-11:45 a.m.: Funeral/Homegoing Service (chapel)
12 noon: Repast (lower level)

The tip of Cedar shot from Catherine Street looking east in 1955, a few years before the founding of Cedar Park Neighbors. Photo from Phillyhistory.org

Family, friends and neighbors are celebrating the life of Gerald McHugh Sr., the 80-year resident of Cedar Park and a co-founder, more than 50 years ago, of the civic association Cedar Park Neighbors, who died last week.

A viewing for McHugh, who was 92, will be held at Saint Francis de Sales (4625 Springfield Ave.) this evening at 6 p.m. and again tomorrow (Friday) at 10 a.m.

The son of Irish immigrants, McHugh lived in the Cedar Park neighborhood for the first 80 years of his life. He operated a real estate business for many years out of a storefront office at 48th and Baltimore (now the  Gold Standard Cafe).

McHugh founded Cedar Park Neighbors in 1960 in part to help foster racial diversity and harmony in the neighborhood. Many white residents in Cedar Park and across Philadelphia fled the city for the suburbs in the 1960s and 70s. Cedar Park Neighbors remains a vital force in the civic life of residents in that part of West Philadelphia.

McHugh passed away in his daughter’s home in Cedar Park.