Richard Lee Scherff died March 27 at First Health Hospice House in Pinehurst, NC.
He was born January 5, 1937 in Canton, Ohio to Lester Maynard Scherff and Evelyn Jeannette Heacock Scherff. He attended Canton public schools where he participated in high school musicals and attended the Westminster Choir School in Princeton, NJ for two summers. He played golf, excelled in classical piano, played the string bass for the Canton Symphony, and remained a member of the Musician’s Union for the rest of his life. He was the valedictorian of the Lincoln High School Class of 1955.
Richard attended Dartmouth College where he was a member of Alpha Theta Fraternity, the golf team, and the Dartmouth College Glee Club. After graduating in 1959, he performed on the Radio City Music
Hall stage with the Glee Club for six weeks in the summer.
After earning a Masters degree from Teachers College, Columbia University in New York City in 1961, he taught AP History for two years at Jonathan Dayton High School in Springfield, NJ and one year at Lompoc High School in California and Alan Hancock Junior College in Santa Maria, California before returning to Columbia where he met and later married Helen Sue Ritchie. They were subsequently blessed with a daughter and son. He earned an Ed.D degree from Teachers College, Columbia University simultaneously while working in the Columbia University administration. An active member of The Riverside Church in New York City, he served on the Board of Ushers and on the Finance Committee, and became Chairman of the Board of Trustees.
In 1979 the family moved to Sparta, NJ. where his children attended the public schools and he was elected to the Sparta School Board of Education. He was an active member of the Lake Mohawk Golf Club from 1979-2000. After retiring as a Financial Advisor for Compensation Planning, he retired to Pinehurst, NC where he was a member of the Pinehurst Members Club and the Pinewild Country Club.
Richard was endowed with endless curiosity, was a gentleman golfer who loved competition and mentoring young players, and, above all, enjoyed being with family and friends.
He is survived by his wife Sue, daughter Susan Scherff of Pinehurst, son Richard Heacock Scherff and wife Jenny, and grandsons Daniel Ethan and Micah Adam of Fairfax, Virginia.
The family will have a private service at the Hospice Chapel in Pinehurst. A celebration of his life will be held at a later date for family and friends.
Should friends desire, contributions may be sent to FirstHealth Hospice and Palliative Care in Pinehurst.
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Mr. Scherff’s family and friends are in our thoughts and prayers at Sandhills Sentinel.
