Tema Scheman

Terry grew up in Brooklyn, raised her family in Smithtown, NY, and split her time of late between Melville, NY and Boynton Beach, FL. She graduated from Lafayette High School in 1956, received her B.A. in Education from Brooklyn College in 1960, and her Master’s in Counseling and Addiction from C.W. Post (Long Island University).

Known for her love of Mallomars and the color red, her iconic signature cocktail – peach schnapps and Diet Coke – and her general fabulousness, Terry was particularly formidable as a

lifelong player of bridge and canasta. With her rich, deadpan baritone rivaling only Bea Arthur in its resonance, Terry could always be called upon for her outrageous, take-no-prisoners candor

and her irrepressible joie de vivre. Plain and simple: she had a great time.

Terry will be deeply missed by her family, including her husband of 67 years, Sanford “Sandy,” whom she met at a Brooklyn College fraternity picnic; her children, Robin, Michael and the late

Susan; her sons-in-law, Sam and Evan; her grandchildren Rebecca, Alex, Matthew, Andrew and Daniel; and one great-grandson, Sawyer.

What meant the most to Terry was the tight-knit family that she and Sandy created and nurtured over the last six decades, and all of the loving, ironclad friendships they maintained together. Zei gezunt to a remarkable woman.

Terry’s funeral will be held on January 11 at 11:30AM at Riverside Chapel, New York, NY.

For those wishing to honor Terry’s memory, donations can be made to the Susan Scheman Ratner ’86 Scholarship Fund at Barnard College.