Editor’s note: These words about Babe Moyer were spoken by Gettysburg Borough Councilmember Judie Butterfield at the council meeting on Monday. Moyer died earlier this month.
I’d like to share a few words about the passing of Milt (Babe) Moyer on February 4. He was a graduate of Gettysburg High School and Lycoming College. He joined the Navy and after serving, spent most of his adulthood in Baltimore, returning to Gettysburg for good in 1991. He had always admired and respected police work so one of first things he did was form an organization known as PACT (Police and Community Together). Just a couple of days after moving here, my husband and I met Babe.
At the memorial service last Saturday, speakers noted how persuasive he could be. I can attest to that because at that first meeting I just mentioned, he persuaded us to join PACT and then to head a local Nattional Night Out event.
Using those persuasion skills, he convinced residents to go on police ride-alongs, to actively support Adams County Crime Stoppers and our local Silent Witness, both financially for their rewards programs and by verbally fostering the public attitude that these programs are safe, helpful, and productive.
He persuaded the State DA’s Association to finance shirts and made sure members of PACT manned information booths & tables at every parade, festival, and street event.
Babe was made an Honorary Police Officer in 2006. In the words of PBS, he was a jewel in Gettysburg’s crown.
I was glad to see his obituary included a photo with his perpetual smile. That smile was his greatest persuasion weapon.
I was also pleased that it mentioned Becca Fissel, our Borough parking manager. I wish she was here so she could be thanked publicly for her attentiveness toward Babe. Recognizing that he was elderly and with family far away, she drove him to appointments, invited him to her family’s holiday meals, and dropped in frequently to check on him and chat.
Becca went to Babe’s home a few days after his death to help with the sorting of his things. At that work session, daughter Ola Santoni told Becca she had indeed been a good friend to her Dad.
Becca was a good friend to Babe, Babe was a good friend to our police department and thus to Gettysburg.