William H. Scharrer's Obituary
Scharrer, William H. “Bill”, Sr. was born May 28, 1921 in Tarentum, Pennsylvania and moved to Miami in 1923 with his family. He died peacefully on March 14, 2010. He attended Miami High and moved to California where he won the Light Heavyweight Championship for Weightlifting. While in California he graduated from the Merchant Marine Academy in San Diego and subsequently served in World War II from 1942 – 1946. He served on Liberty Ships where he achieved the rank of Captain and earned the Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal. He married his sweetheart, Mary Regine Von Plinsky, in 1948 after meeting her at a fishing camp he operated in the Keys and was married until her death in 1978. He worked for the Miami News and Miami Herald as a Circulation Manager and obtained his real estate license in the 1950’s working for Oscar E. Dooly Associates, Inc., a pioneering commercial industrial real estate firm which he bought in 1972. During his career he worked with many prominent Florida real estate investors and developers including Arthur Vining Davis, Nell Jennings, Jim Ryder, Jean McArthur Davis, Ed Ball and the Florida East Coast Railroad to name a few. He always gave back to his profession and community and was the consummate servant leader. He served as President of the Society of Industrial Realtors, President of the Lion’s Club of Miami, President of Goodwill Industries of South Florida and President of the Miami Lighthouse for the Blind. He was a founding Board member of Baptist Hospital, a Cub Scout Leader of Pack 31 at Central Baptist Church and served many years as Deacon and Sunday school teacher at Riverside Baptist Church. Also, he was a member of Coral Reef Yacht Club and La Gorce Country Club. He was predeceased in death by his son, Robert Steven Scharrer, and is survived by his children, William H. Scharrer, Jr.; John P. Scharrer (Linda), grandson John Ryan Scharrer (Sheina) and great-grandson, Mason Caleb, granddaughters Kristin and Brooke Scharrer; daughter, Cathy Sena (Dion), grandchildren Nicole, Justin, Chelsea and Michaella Sena; his brother, Fred T. Scharrer, Jr., many nieces, nephews, cousins and special friend, Mary Lopez. The family also wishes to acknowledge his compassionate and dedicated caregivers, Florise Dorcely, the CNA’s, nurses and staff at Hampton Court Nursing & Rehab Center and the VA Hospital in Miami. Bill had a great sense of adventure and passion for traveling and sailing on his boat, the Pirouette. His children remember with great fondness the many vacations and camping trips across the U. S. (including Alaska) and sailing cruises throughout the Bahamas, Caribbean and Cozumel, Mexico. He will always be remembered for his great sense of humor, enthusiastic love of life, profound generosity, and his abiding love and dedication to family, church, career and community. He knew no strangers and was always welcoming of any person in his home regardless of station in life. He will also be remembered as the consummate true-life storyteller and purveyor of general knowledge that ever lived. His compassionate, generous character touched countless lives and will live on through all of us who knew and loved him. Services will be held at Van Orsdel Funeral Home in Coral Gables, 4600 S. W. 8 Street (305) 446-4412. Visitation will be held 7-9 p.m. Friday, March 19 and services on Saturday, March 20 at 1:00 followed by burial at Woodlawn Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to any of the above mentioned organizations or your favorite charity.
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