Chester C. 'Chet' Tyson Jr., 96, 'Mr. Narberth'

Chester C. "Chet" Tyson Jr., 96, a fixture in the Montgomery County borough for so many years that he was known as "Mr. Narberth," died of lung cancer Tuesday, Feb. 3, at Freedom Village in Coatesville.

Mr. Tyson lived for 78 years in Narberth, where he was involved in many government, civic, and other activities.

"He was always available, and he always had time for every situation, and he was a gentleman," said Borough Manager William J. Martin. "In an era when the term is overused, he was a true gentleman."

Born in Altoona, Mr. Tyson moved with his family to a home on Sabine Avenue where his parents lived until the 1970s. He lived on Dudley Avenue for 50 years until moving to Freedom Village in 1998.

After attending Narberth Public School, Ardmore Junior High, and graduating from Lower Merion Senior High School in 1938, he worked briefly for Hires Root Beer. He then followed his father, an accounting supervisor, into a job with the Pennsylvania Railroad.

Over his 40 years of service with "the Pennsy," as the Tysons called it, and subsequently with Conrail, he occupied a number of positions, but retired as an assistant supervisor of motive power control.

In that role, he would sit in the railroad's legendary "Blue Room," or command post, and assign engines to trains throughout the "Pennsy/Conrail" system.

After retiring in 1973 from the railroad, he jointly owned and operated the Narberth Laundromat for 20 years.

Mr. Tyson made his most enduring mark, though, as a civic leader and volunteer. "Narberth was Chet's family," Martin said. "Ninety percent of the things we take for granted were things he started, or had become involved in."

Mr. Tyson was active with the Narberth Business Council; served on the 4th of July Committee for 40 years; was a charter member of the Narberth Community Theatre; and served on Narberth's Centennial Committee.

He was an elected Republican member of the borough council for 13 years and retired as vice president in 1996. During that time, he directed the Boys Summer Basketball League and founded the Girls Summer Basketball League.

He helped a group of retirees build a pavilion with donated materials at the Narberth Playground in the summer of 1997. Once it was done, the group surprised him by naming it the "Chet Tyson Pavilion."

"He was shocked," said Martin. "It was just a small plaque, but he had to read it three times" to believe it.

Once he moved to Freedom Village, he was elected to the resident council several times and became president of the wood shop, was a member of the Freedom Village singers, and played on the village's pocket billiards team.

Despite his advancing years, he also volunteered at Habitat for Humanity and Meals on Wheels - "to help the old folks," he said. At the time, he was in his 90s.

Mr. Tyson married a fellow Narberth resident, Anita "Teddy" MacFarland, in 1943 and they remained together until her death in 2008.

A man of strong Christian faith, he was a deacon and elder of the Narberth Presbyterian Church and later was active in the former United Methodist Church of Narberth and the Central Presbyterian Church in Downingtown.

He is survived by a son, Peter R., and two grandchildren.

A celebration of life will be held at the Harold D. Speakman Post 356 of the American Legion, 80 Windsor Ave., Narberth, on Saturday, March 14, from noon to 2 p.m. Interment was private.

Donations may be made to the Roof Fund of the Central Presbyterian Church, 100 W. Uwchlan Ave., Downingtown, Pa. 19335.