Murder
spurs Catholic schools to set up memorial fund
By christie L. Chicoine
CS&T Staff Writer
PHILADELPHIA — As a student and basketball player at Roman Catholic
High School for Boys in the early 1980s, David Atkins was an asset, “a
well-rounded, pleasant, well-adjusted young man — just a real solid,
Roman-type of guy.”
That’s how Atkins — a 1983 alumnus who helped Roman capture
the Catholic League boys’ basketball championship in March 1982
— is remembered by Tom McKeever, a Roman Catholic math instructor
who also works in the student services office.
According to reports, David Atkins, 43, was fatally shot after he answered
a knock at his door in the Nicetown section of the city around 2 a.m.
Saturday, March 1.
At press time, there was no motive for the shooting, according to Lt.
Frank Vanore, a spokesman for the public affairs office of the Philadelphia
Police Department.
Atkins leaves behind a son, 6-year-old David, a first-grader at St. Martin
De Porres Interparochial School, who is now being raised by his grandmother.
Young David’s mother is deceased.
“What David said is, he saw the gun and he saw his dad get shot,
but he can’t identify the person who shot his dad,” said Daughter
of Charity Sister Cheryl Hillig, David’s principal.
St. Martin De Porres Interparochial School in Germantown, has set up a
memorial fund with the goal of providing a Catholic education for David
through eighth grade and, possibly, through high school and college.
At press time, his tuition had been paid through 2008 - 2009.
Roman Catholic is contributing to the fund, said Father Joseph W. Bongard,
president of Roman Catholic.
Providing a Catholic education for his son was a priority for Atkins,
Sister Cheryl said. “He was working two jobs — one for his
house expenses, and one solely for David’s education.”
The father and son regularly attended Mass at St. Francis of Assisi Church,
Sister Cheryl added.
Two nights before he died, Atkins attended the school’s Black History
month potluck supper. Last October, he was a parent volunteer at the school’s
Halloween party. Atkins was also a frequent chaperone on field trips sponsored
by the St. Martin De Porres’ Beacon school, where David is enrolled
in the after-school program.
“Anything that he could be involved in for David … he was
there,” Sister Cheryl said.
As for David, “he has the best heart,” she added. “He’s
a typical 6-year-old boy — he does typical boy things — but
when it comes to doing his schoolwork, he knows what he needs to be about.”
To help pay for David’s tuition, checks may be made in the name
of the David Atkins Memorial Fund and sent to Sister Cheryl Hillig, D.C.,
principal, St. Martin De Porres Interparochial School, 44 W. Logan St.,
Philadelphia, PA 19144.
Anyone with information about Atkins’ murder is asked to contact
the police department’s tip line — (215) 686-TIPS or (215)
686-8477.
CS&T Staff Writer Christie L. Chicoine can be reached at (215)
587-2468 or cchicoin@adphila.org.