Bennett Scheuer
1948-Aug. 10, 2010
Portola Valley, California

Bennett T. Scheuer, 62, a former resident of Portola Valley, died Aug. 10, 2010.

He was born in New York City, grew up in Larchmont, N.Y., and received his bachelor's degree in general studies in 1972 from the University of Miami, where he also taught photography. After owning Gallery Obskura in Coconut Grove, Fla., for a few years, he attended boatbuilding school at the North Carolina Maritime Museum, then opened Knock on Wood boatbuilding shop in Miami. Eventually he built his own cruising boat, and spent the next 17 years in the Caribbean, cruising and chartering. During this time he was married to the former Judy Dickens of Miami.

In the 1990s he moved to Portola Valley, where he enjoyed many years of being a very active uncle with his niece and nephew, and built a trailer-accessible Phil Bolger boat that he could travel the continent with behind his car. He also volunteered with Habitat for Humanity, tutored English as a second language, was indispensable in an annual community Halloween program and was a mentor to many children of his friends and relatives.

In 2003 he bought a home in Camden, Maine, making a final move in 2005. There he became involved with Literacy Volunteers of Mid-Coast Maine, receiving a "Tutor of the Year" award in 2010. He also volunteered with Fishes and Loaves Soup Kitchen and was on the board of directors for Youth Arts, providing arts enrichment to area schools. Having obtained his private pilot's license in California, he joined the Knox County Flying Club and later the Belfast Chapter of the Experimental Aircraft Association. In 2009, he began building his own single-engine aircraft in his backyard shop. He also enjoyed motorcycles. He was a founding member of Jabbers, a lighthearted neighborhood gang of motorcycle enthusiasts. In June of this year, he joined his brother Lee and sister-in-law Kim for a motorcycle ride from California to Maine.

He was known for being a good listener, for his curiosity and knowledge of many subjects, and for his sense of humor, playfulness and ready smile, loved ones said.

He is survived by his mother, Mathilda (Tillie) Scheuer of New York City; his brother, Lee and wife Kim Scheuer, of Portola Valley; his sister Lauren and husband Steven Mishlove of Phoenix, Ariz.; a niece and two nephews; and many friends and extended family members.