A wake is being held today for the elderly Port Jervis cobbler who was fatally beaten last week.
Robyn Onofry stood in front of the shop, the site of cards, flowers, and candles.
“They were kind to everybody, treated every customer the same, whether you were young old, anything. He would give the shirt off his back for us,” says Onofry. “It’s senseless, tragic, for such a small town.”
She knew the shop owner, 77-year-old Josef Kucher and his family. Orange County District Attorney David Hoovler says 29-year-old Dennis McBee of Port Jervis has been charged with the second-degree murder of Kucher. McBee is being held on unrelated charges in Pennsylvania. Kucher’s wake is from 3 p.m. until 8 p.m. November 11 at the Gray-Parker Funeral Home in Port Jervis. The funeral service is November 12 at St. Mary’s Church, also in Port Jervis.