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Remembering a Fallen Officer

MAHANOY CITY — It’s been 20 years since a Schuylkill County native was murdered in California while trying to stop an armed robbery. Louis Pompei is...
lou pompei

MAHANOY CITY -- It's been 20 years since a Schuylkill County native was murdered in California while trying to stop an armed robbery.

Louis Pompei is buried in Mahanoy City and Tuesday morning friends remembered his life.

There were a lot of tears and laughs at the memorial for Louis Pompei. He grew up in Mahanoy City and his fellow police officers say it's an honor to see the place that shaped the Louie they knew and loved.

It was 20 years ago when family, friends, and police officers said goodbye to Pompei. The Mahanoy City native was killed near Los Angeles in 1995.

Pompei was a Glendora police officer, but he was off duty at the time of his death. The 30 year old stepped in to stop a robbery and was shot and killed.

"His actions were the type of actions that you wonder, as a police officer, if you have the wherewithal to do what he did," said Glendora Police Chief Tim Staab.

Pompei's friend and current Glendora Police Chief, Tim Stabb, remembers the last time he was in Mahanoy City.

"20 years ago, I was one of the escorts who escorted his body and I was at the funeral and it was heartbreaking," Stabb recalled.

But two decades later, this memorial is about remembering the man they called Louie.

"He was 5 foot 4. He was tiny, but he was mighty."

His sister Christine says she's glad the Glendora Police Department continues to honor her brother.

"Life is so difficult anymore for any police officer and for them to take the time out of their critical and hectic schedule to remember my brother, it shows the impact he had on everybody," said Christine Pompei.

Louie's friends and family say he was always proud to be from Mahanoy City. They even shared a story about the time Louie climbed up the side of a mountain and wrote "Bear Pride" which is still there today.

"You can't go in the school without seeing a sign that says 'Bear Pride.'"

Pompei's former football coach says he will do whatever he can to teach future athletes all about the pride that Pompei had for his hometown.

"We give the Louie Pompei Bear Pride award every year, so his name, his tradition, I explain it at every banquet what Louie is about," said Paul Peca.

The Glendora police department will hold another memorial for Lou Pompei Tuesday night in California.

His family will also be attending another funeral this week. Lou's brother Carlo died suddenly over the weekend at the age of 65.

The Pompei family says they're glad Louie and Carlo are together again.

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