Christine Horner, 56, North Philly crossing guard, caregiver, Phillies fan

Christine Horner, 56, of Philadelphia, a crossing guard in the Olney section of the city and caregiver to her father, died Saturday, July 21, of suspected heart complications at St. Mary Medical Center.

For the last 10 years,  Ms. Horner brought a level of zeal and warmth not typically associated with a city crossing guard to the intersection of Fourth and Champlost Streets, said her sister Karen, who lived with her until her death.

In the North Philadelphia neighborhood of mostly brick rowhouses, the colorful facade of the Little Mr. & Miss Daycare center stands out. Every day, her sister said, Ms. Horner waited eagerly to welcome the children and usher them safely across the street.

"She was always out there just making sure the kids got home all right," Karen Horner said.
"All the children on the corner loved her."

Ms. Horner's friends said she never took a day off, except for when the city told her to, as happened occasionally.

"She always wanted to work, even at lunchtime," her sister said. "She just loved connecting with people and helping them, especially kids. She was just always looking out for the kids, and they were always bringing her gifts."

Between shifts at the intersection, Ms. Horner served as primary caregiver to her 80-year-old father, Steven T. Horner, a former Philadelphia firefighter, who has suffered from Alzheimer's disease for nearly a decade, Karen Horner said.

"Considering she held a full-time job, it's pretty amazing Chris found time to take him to day care, give him food, organize his medicine," she said. "She was a very caring individual. She did a lot in a day."

When Ms. Horner was young, her father taught her to shoot and hunt, her lifelong friend Beth McCurry said. They regularly hunted together until Ms. Horner's father grew ill, she said.

Before taking over care for her father and starting as a crossing guard, Ms. Horner worked in dining services at Temple University, family and friends said. 

What time Ms. Horner had for her own passions was spread thin between the Phillies and old movies, especially Westerns and John Wayne movies — not to mention spending time with her cat Princess, her family said.

By McCurry's count, she and Ms. Horner attended hundreds of Phillies games together over the years, at least half of most seasons' home games. Ms. Horner's favorite player was legendary third baseman Mike Schmidt, her sister said.

"Chris loved baseball — lived and died by the Phillies," McCurry said.

In addition to her father and sister, Ms. Horner is survived by sisters Phyllis, Wanda, and Pamela, her twin.

Viewings will be at 6 p.m. on Thursday, July 26, and 9 a.m. on Friday, July 27. at Wetzel & Son Funeral Home, 419 Huntingdon Pike, Rockledge. A funeral service will be held at 10 a.m. at the funeral home. Rather than dressing in black, mourners are asked to don Phillies jerseys at the viewings, and Phillies red at the service.

Memorial donations may be made to the Alzheimer's Association Delaware Valley Chapter.