July 16, 2008 — Hundreds of mourners crowded the Alexander A. Farrelly Justice Center courtyard Wednesday evening for a viewing of the body of retired police Sgt. Liston A. Gumbs, slain July 7.
Gumbs was attempting to prevent a store robbery in Lindbergh Bay when he was shot. (See "Liston Gumbs Dies After Shooting Monday.")
Gumbs' action to intervene was entirely in character with stories that friends and colleagues shared at the viewing.
Retired Police Cpl. Eva Lewis served on the force with Gumbs for 26 years. Gumbs gave her training in firearms, Lewis said.
"I never saw him with a frown — he always had something funny to say," Lewis remembered. "But I never expected this. Not with his personality."
Remembrances came from the ranks of the police, the musicians who played at the ceremony, all the way to Gov. John deJongh Jr. They described Gumbs as the man with a smile and a ready joke, someone who was always willing to help anyone.
"The commissioner had tapped him to come back [from retirement] and assist," said Acting Police Commissioner Novelle Francis. "He offered advice, and called in and made suggestions [about investigations]."
Gumbs displayed a keen interest in policing, and would explain how things could be done better, the acting commissioner recalled.
"He was a policeman to the core," Francis said.
Policing may have been Gumbs' first love, but he was also very active in other organizations.
Gumbs, an avid fisherman, manned the bar, volunteered for events and — especially important — brought the fish for the fish-fry parties at the American Legion Hall, Post 90, where he was an active member, according to members of that group.
He was also active in the V.I. Retired Police Organization. Earlier this week, Gumbs' fellow retirees in VIRPO led the way in increasing the reward for information that leads to the arrest of Gumbs' killer. The amount now stands at $20,000.
The governor said he personally knew Gumbs for a number of years, and referred to Gumbs as "the glue" that kept these organizations together.
"This is a tremendous loss," deJongh said. "See the diversity of people here. It is tragic what has happened. We have to make sure that we catch the person who is responsible for this."
Funeral services and an additional viewing are scheduled for Thursday. The viewing will be at the Christchurch Methodist Church in Market Square from 9 to 10 a.m. The funeral service is at 10 a.m., followed by burial at Western Cemetery No. 2.
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