Bill Scheer was born on Java, Dutch East Indies (Indonesia), and was living on Sumatra when the Japanese invaded in 1942. He spent four years in concentration camps before being repatriated to the Netherlands in January of 1946.
After graduating from the Horticultural Institute in Boskoop with a bachelor of natural science degree, and serving in the Royal Dutch Marines, Bill immigrated to the United States in 1960.
He worked in cooperative extension in the area of commercial horticulture after completing his master of natural sciences degree at PLU. In addition to many other accomplishments, Bill and a colleague started the Master Gardener Program, which is now international. He was honored at the 30 and 40 year anniversaries of the program.
Bill worked internationally in Indonesia, Chile, Costa Rica, Mexico, China and Europe. He retired in 1995, as Professor Emeritus. Bill had received a number of awards for his considerable accomplishments.
His love was always forestry and he bought a farm in the early 1970s and began planting trees, which he continued doing as long as physically able. He was a life member of the Washington Farm Forestry Association and board member of the Family Forest Foundation. In later years, he traveled extensively studying forestry.
Bill will be remembered as a gracious gentleman with broad interests, a linguist and a consummate family man. He is survived by his loving wife, Judy; daughter, Julie Scheer Johnson (Cris); grandson, Spencer; granddaughter, Mari; son, Bill (Debra); grandsons, Jack and Andy; and several nephews and cousins and a niece in Holland.
Memorials may be made to the Family Forest Foundation, familyforestfoundation.org, Washington Master Gardener Foundation, mgfws.org, or a charity of your choice.
A celebration of Bill’s life will be held at Puyallup First Presbyterian Church, 412 W. Pioneer Ave., at 1 p.m., Sunday, Dec. 29, 2019. All are welcome.
