Erik Abel

Erik Abel died at his home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware on Wednesday, January 4, 2023; he was 62. A Lancaster native, Erik was the son of John Edward (Jed) Abel, Jr. and Pauline Whitaker Abel, who preceded him in death. Erik will be remembered for his calm good sense, his warm heart, and his lifetime of service to others. He began that service at age eleven, by holding a neighborhood carnival to raise money for charity. At thirteen, he started volunteering at the Lancaster County Blind Association (now VisionQuest) radio station as a news reader; soon he was running two programs of his own. At 16, Erik began training as an emergency medical technician. He was certified as a paramedic and worked at St Joseph Hospital for six years. At the same time, he was a volunteer firefighter and eventually Fire Chief for the Rohrerstown Fire Company, a service he performed for many years. In 1986 Erik joined the City of Lancaster Bureau of Police as a Patrolman. Five years later he was promoted to Detective, then to Detective Sergeant in 1994. He was known by his colleagues to be an excellent officer, with the innate ability to take control of any situation and handle it in a calm and professional manner. With his compassion for the people he worked with, Erik excelled in every position he held. At his retirement, he was Supervisor of the Special Investigations Unit (Sex Offenses and Child Abuse), Senior Polygraph Examiner, and Special Deputy, US Marshalls Regional Task Force. After twenty-one years of service, Erik retired in 2007 to begin his next career. He established a company, Mid-Atlantic Truth Consultants, that provides polygraph services in Delaware, and parts of eastern and central Pennsylvania and New York. In past years Erik served as President of the Mid-Atlantic Police Polygraph Cooperative (MAPPC), and was President of the National Polygraph Association (NPA). He was currently on the board of the NPA. As an expert in the field, Erik trained others, and spoke at conferences across the country. As the head of the company, Erik was loved and respected by all his colleagues. Erik loved trains, large and small, and spent many years creating a model train layout in his garage in Rehoboth. Erik is survived by two brothers and their wives: Michael and Martha Abel, and Patrick and Julie Abel. He also leaves behind two nieces and their husbands: Elspeth and Chris Slater, and Leanne and Mike Stanczak, as well as their children Christopher Stanczak, Jonathan Stanczak and Augustine Slater. We invite Erik’s many friends to join us during an informal gathering that will take place Saturday, January 21, 2023. Casual gathering at 1:00 p.m., service at 2:00 p.m. at Groff Funeral Home, 528 W. Orange Street, Lancaster. Interment will be private. In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation to any of the following: Lancaster Police Foundation (https://lancasterpolicefoundation.org/), Lancaster County Children’s Alliance—Penn Medicine (https://www.lancastergeneralhealth.org/services-and-treatments/pediatrics/lancaster-county-childrens-alliance) and Boys & Girls Club of Lancaster (https://bgclanc.org).