On Thursday, June 16, the Philadelphia Police Department’s 26th District honored former colleague Michelle Winkis, who died suddenly after a brain aneurysm on September 7, 2013. Family members, friends and the officers of the 26th District gathered outside the station at 615 E. Girard Ave. and planted flowers in a cement planter before releasing butterflies into the air in commemoration of the deceased officer. A plaque has been situated on the frontside of the cement planter facing the station on Girard Avenue.

  Captain Mike Cram, for whom Winkis served as an aid during the final years of her life, offered several remarks at the event.

  “What else can you say about Michelle, right?” said Captain Cram. “Everybody’s got a million stories. We all loved her. She was more than my aid; she was my friend. Not a day goes by when something doesn’t remind me of her.”

  Officer Jose Dones of the 26th District attended the police academy with Michelle. Despite having been assigned to different districts, the two remained close over the years. After several stints in the DA’s office and elsewhere, Dones reunited with Winkis in the 26th District.  

  “She did anything for anyone,” said Officer Dones. “Whether it was a beef and beer for someone that was having a hard time or an officer that needed help with anything. Michelle was the first one that we reached out to.”

  Winkis’ mother Mary was a police officer as well. She joined the force in 1981. Her daughter followed suit nine short years later. Upon entering the police academy, Winkis was so young that she had to be temporarily held back; she would have otherwise graduated before turning 19.

  “She was the best daughter anybody could ever ask for,” Mary said. “Everybody that met her loved her. Her nieces, her nephews, her brothers. [Her death] was a total shock to everybody. She came to work on Labor Day, and never came home. It was a total shock to everybody.”

  Officer Michelle Winkis served on the police force for 23 years, almost all of which in the 26th District. During her tenure, she partook in a plethora of initiatives, including the Blue Flames Police and Fire Football Club. Her colleagues have described her as a selfless and reliable workhorse who cared deeply about those around her. She is survived by her three children, Taylor, Carlee and Alex, as well as her husband Tom.

  “If something needed to be done, if somebody needed help, Michelle was helping them,” said Captain Cram. “Whether it was somebody in the police department or somebody in the neighborhood, she was the one that you went to to get things done. Just a great person.”