Thousands came last night - and these were just friends and family - to pay respects to Officer Chuck Cassidy .

Among them:

Two men who had been Boy Scouts with him in Troop 109 at St. Helena's Parish.

Janet McKeever, the eighth-grade teacher of all three of his children at St. Jerome's School.

Young adults he once coached as children in soccer and basketball and their parents.

A young man who took Cassidy 's daughter Katie to the prom. The elderly couple who lived across the street from Cassidy 's father. Hundreds of his fellow police officers.

On and on the line stretched, down the block around the corner, easily a 90-minute wait to get inside John F. Givnish Funeral Home on Academy Road in the Far Northeast.

Over and over, as the mourners stood patiently on line, a feeling arose: He was as good and decent and honest and considerate a man as America can make. He loved his family and he loved the police force.

And what seemed so horribly sad to people, what was so cruel and clear in contrast, was that a killer placed so little value on human life that he gunned down a public servant who had touched so many, and sunk roots so deep, in his 54 years.

"You're out there supporting your family every day, serving your city, and somebody who has no morals takes life away from you," said Kathy Gibson, whose daughter Bridget is a sophomore at Gwynedd-Mercy College and a roommate with one of the Cassidy daughters.

"It's sad," echoed Jim Gibson. "I'm just trying not to let the anger in. "

Friends in line last night painted a portrait of Chuck Cassidy as a family man, one who agreed to coach son John's soccer team, even though the boy was new to the sport and never played one minute of one game - he was too busy playing in the dirt. That didn't bother Chuck Cassidy .

Cassidy played pickup basketball in a regular game in Lawncrest for more than a decade, and never lost his cool, never argued a call.

His wife, Judy, is the kind of woman who volunteered in the schools when her children were younger, and could always be counted on to bring the pizza to her children's class parties. Countless times an hour since Cassidy was killed, horns have beeped as cars pass the family's home on Willits Road, a sign of respect.

"This is a great family," said Claire Alminde, a family friend. She said that last night, in the receiving line at the funeral home, Judy Cassidy was "asking everybody, 'How are you doing? ' "

At her home this week, she's been telling people: "Make sure you get something to eat. "

The most emotional people last night were Cassidy 's fellow police officers, in particular his peers from the 35th Police District. They arrived, en masse, about 5:45 p.m., walking up Academy Road side by side.

"The city lost a great officer, a great man," said Officer Gordon Andrew.

"He was color-blind," said Officer Sequitta Adams. "He treated everyone equally. "

"Chuck was the type where he spent time with everyone, especially the new people," said Sgt. Michael Goodson. "The most important thing he taught me was that in order to be a good police officer, you have to be a good person.

"Although our hearts are heavy at the loss," Goodson added, "it's amazing how his passing has brought a city in crisis so close together. He has shown this city that outside the badge, we're human, and we're willing to lay down our lives. "

The casket last night was open, and the body of Officer Cassidy was dressed in his police uniform, according to mourners. The funeral home was filled with family photos and flowers. A television played home videos.

In a program handed out last night, his children wrote a tribute to their father. It began, "We love you . . ." and enumerated why:

"For your loyalty and dedication to us, your friends and your work. . . . For always enjoying the countless softball, basketball, soccer, football, swimming, track, dance recitals and lacrosse games. We especially enjoyed the 'critique' that followed in the car ride home.

"Because even after all these years you were still able to lift us by our pants to place the angel on the Christmas tree," it continued.

"And the list could go on forever. . . . You've always been our hero - and we're now learning how many other people feel the same way. We love you, Daddy. "

A second viewing will be held today, followed by Mass, at the Cathedral Basilica of SS. Peter and Paul in Center City.

Contact staff writer Michael Vitez at 215-854-5639 or mvitez@phillynews.com.