Obituaries 316
Khiseer Davis-Papther, 13, ‘DJ Special K’
Every evening after attending Harding Middle School, Khiseer Davis-Papther would head straight for his computer to practice his DJ skills. “Once he would get on that computer, you wouldn’t hear nothing from him,” Cytiria Horton, Khiseer’s stepmother, said. Khiseer aspired to be a DJ when he grew up. He would spend all of his free […]
Tyshiem Chainey, 17: ‘Don’t you know the coyotes are out here after us!’
At 17 years old, Tyshiem Chainey’s life was split between Philadelphia and North Carolina. “I tried to create a new culture in his life,” Alice Chainey, Tyshiem’s grandmother, said. He would spend most of his summer and some of the winter with her in North Carolina, then the rest of the year in Philadelphia with […]
Ramon Anthony Smith, 46: ‘Very nice and very well-liked’
Just like any kid, Ramon Anthony Smith always loved playing with the other children in his neighborhood. “He was just like a regular neighborhood kid,” said a former neighbor who knew Ramon for years. As he grew up, he was known to be well-spoken and kind, the kind of kid who would not dare to […]
Elliot Cortes, 26, florist with a passion for gardening
The home of Elliot Cortes was always decorated with colorful bouquets of flowers. He spent his days working at Stein Florist on Frankford Avenue, but his love for the vibrant blooms did not stop when he clocked out at the end of the day. It was not just his job, but also his passion in […]
Kwadir Hines-Baldwin, 20: ‘I miss my Fat Daddy’
Kwadir Hines-Baldwin was surrounded by love in his life, in particular by the bountiful love of all the women of his extended family. “My son was a momma’s boy and a grammom’s boy,” his mother, Tasheen, said in a video as she was surrounded by relatives. “With these two, he never did anything wrong in […]
Geraldine “Gerry” McCoy, 70, blessed churchwoman with enviable green thumb
Every springtime, just as the tulips were blooming, everybody on Gerry McCoy’s block always marveled at the care with which she tended her garden. Dare to say it, she even may have sparked a touch of neighborly jealousy with her skills. “Boy, she kept her house immaculate!” said Victor Jackson, her neighbor of 30 years […]
Tarik Chapman, 38, always a helper
Tarik Chapman was always willing to lend a helping hand. Whether it be carrying groceries into a house for elderly neighbors, taking out their trash, or helping somebody who was moving, Tarik never hesitated to offer his assistance. Tarik was killed in West Philadelphia on Jan. 19, 2017. He was 38. “He was really a […]
Maurice Riley, 26, father training to be electrical engineer
The moment Maurice Riley became a dad at 18 years old was the proudest experience of the young man’s life. “He was an awesome father from day one,” Maurice’s mother, Lauronda Fletcher, said. “I haven’t come across a more loving, caring parent.” Family was of the utmost importance to Maurice until the day he died. […]
Edgar ‘Chimmy’ Morales, 17, 11th-grader and aspiring plumber
For most teenagers, the last place they want to be is at home with their mother — but that was never the case for Edgar Morales, best known by his nickname “Chimmy.” Throughout his life, his mom’s house served as the hangout spot for Chimmy and his friends. Because his mother was a block captain, […]
Khayyan Fruster, 28, wanted to join Police Academy
The grass never grew under Khayyan Fruster’s feet, as his grandmother likes to say, and that motivation would have propelled him into the police department. But he never got the chance to join the academy. Khayyan was shot dead on Jan. 13, 2017, outside his home in the Tacony section of Philadelphia while waiting for […]
Brandon Baylor, 28, loved to tease his sister, ‘Spongebob’
Brandon Baylor was a mamma’s boy at heart. His mother, Mykia Capers, had her son at just 14 years old, making for a strong relationship as the two grew up together. “He respected me as his mom, but we had a relationship where there was nothing he couldn’t say to me,” Mykia said. Their mother-son […]
Quaseem Jefferson, 22, just started a new job with the city
Quaseem Jefferson was on the right path. Fresh off his first few weeks with a new job with the city of Philadelphia, the 22-year-old was enjoying the fruits of his labor with his first paycheck. Then days later, on Oct. 1, 2016, Quadi was gunned down in the street in East Germantown. His next door […]
Derrick Stallworth, 47: ‘He was always so good to me’
Back when Derrick Stallworth was growing up, all of his cousins used to love coming over to his mother’s house to spend the night. They’d crack jokes all night long, laughing so hard their stomachs got sore until they finally passed out from exhaustion. That’s when the mischievous Derrick would get out the hot sauce, […]
Virginia McLaughlin, 68, widow with deep love of animals
A few years back, Virginia McLaughlin rescued a black and white Shih Tzu from a shelter on St. Patrick’s Day. To mark the momentous first day with her new companion, the dog was named Shamrock, or Shammy for short, in honor of the holiday. Shammy stayed by Virginia’s side as her best companion until the […]
Angelo ‘Lo’ Colon, 21, ‘Clean Freak’ and Rapper
Angelo Colon was always a “clean freak.” Even as a child, when playing in dirt was the norm, Angelo needed to wash his hands as often as possible. “When he was younger, the kids would be out there playing, and every two minutes he’d go into the house because he got a little dirt on […]
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