THOMAS EARL SCHER

HUNTINGTON, Ind. - Thomas Earl Scher, 79, of Sumter and formerly of Huntington, passed away on Thursday, Sept. 9, 2021, at St. Vincent Hospital, Indianapolis, Indiana.

Tom was born on July 15, 1942, in Huntington, to Earl Henry and Helen Gertrude (Christman) Scher. His parents preceded him in death. He married Mary Henderson on July 7, 2002. She lives and resides in Sumter. Tom was raised and lived in Huntington and also resided in Wabash and Kokomo, Indiana, before moving to South Carolina in 2002.

Tom graduated from Huntington High School in 1961. He served in the United States Air Force from 1962 to 1966. Tom was a railroad engineer, working for both the Erie Railroad and Conrail until 1984. He then served in the Fort Wayne Air National Guard, working on F-4 jets until joining the Air Force Reserve and working in Civil Service at Grissom Air Force Base as a crew chief on A-10 Warthogs, then KC-135 tankers. After retiring from the Air Force Reserve in 2002, Thomas moved to Sumter to continue his work for the Civil Service as a railroad engineer at Shaw Air Force Base.

Tom enjoyed camping with Mary and attending antique tractor shows, where he would proudly display his Farmall F-20 tractor. He was an aviation enthusiast. He was an avid taildragger pilot, flying more than 100 youth through the Young Eagles program with his Cessna 140 aircraft.

Tom is survived by his loving wife, Mary; one daughter, Denise (Silvano) Casanova of Switzerland; two sons, Charles (Rhonda) Scher of Fort Wayne, Indiana, Eric (Kelly) Scher of Marion, Indiana; daughter-in-law, Cathy Scher of North Carolina; two sisters, Susan Parker of Huntington and JoAnn Scher of Steamboat, Colorado; and seven grandchildren, Luca Casanova, Elia Casanova, Cameron (Cooper) Scher, Zachary Scher, Mikayla Scher, Kaylynn Scher and Garrett Scher; and two step-grandchildren.

Along with his parents, he was preceded in death by a son, Christopher Scher; and an infant son, Thomas Scher Jr.

A calling will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. on Monday, Oct. 4, at McElhaney-Hart Funeral Home, 715 N. Jefferson St., Huntington, IN 46750.

A memorial mass will be held at 10 a.m. on Tuesday, Oct. 5, at St. Mary Catholic Church, 903 N. Jefferson St., Huntington, with Father Thomas Zehr presiding. A burial will follow at Mt. Calvary Cemetery, Huntington.

A memorial in Sumter will be announced at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to the Thomas Earl Scher Young Eagle Fund in care of McElhaney-Hart Funeral Home, 715 N. Jefferson St., Huntington.

McElhaney-Hart Funeral Home, 715 N. Jefferson St., Huntington, is entrusted with the arrangements. Online condolences may be sent to www.mcelhaneyhartfuneralhome.com.