Jacoby Allyn Scher

Mr. Jacoby A. Scher died in a Houston hospital on the morning of March 4, 2022. He leaves his wife, Amy Gremillion, sons Eric, Daniel, and Max Scher, and brother Richard, besides a host of deeply caring friends and colleagues.

Mr. Scher was born in Columbia-Presbyterian Hospital in New York City, August 20, 1942. At the time of his birth, his father David Scher was a medical doctor in the U.S. Army Air Force, stationed in New Guinea; he did not meet his father until he was almost 2 years old.

The family lived in Jamaica, Queens, from 1945 to 1953. There Mr. Scher attended the Woodhull School in Hollis, but in 1953 the family moved to Houston. With a few interruptions, Mr. Scher lived there until his passing.

He attended Southland Elementary School in Houston, Albert Sidney Johnson Junior High School, and Bellaire High School, graduating in 1960. He then attended Rice University, receiving his degree in chemistry there and later an advanced degree in environmental engineering from the University of Houston.

Mr. Scher practiced environmental chemistry and engineering for over 40 years, most of it as a registered professional engineer in the State of Texas. He was an elected Diplomate of the American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists since 1988 in the Hazardous Waste section, and was a Diplomate of the National Academy of Forensic Engineers since 2005. He was an expert in forensic environmental engineering, and was often asked to testify as an expert witness in court cases involving environmental law. In his last post, he served as Senior Consultant with Cimbria Consulting in Houston.

Because of his credentials and expertise, Mr. Scher enjoyed an international professional reputation. But there was much more to him than environmental engineering. He was an excellent athlete; at one point he was the City Champion in the 50 and 100 yard sprints; and he enjoyed following sports his entire life, with the New York Yankees at the pinnacle of his favored teams.

Mr. Scher was a wide reader, favoring history and current events. And he was interested in and committed to the arts, regularly attending concerts and enjoying museums around the world. He was a frequent attendee of lectures and forums at Rice and UH, especially those hosted by the Baker Center at Rice. And he loved to travel; until he became ill a few years ago he was always ready at a moment’s notice to grab his suitcase and get on an airplane to distant places.

While staying true to his Jewish heritage, Coby was active in the life of Christ Church Presbyterian in Bellaire, Texas, where his wife Amy was a member. He hosted Seders, bridge parties, and coordinated the Campus Revitalization team. He was well liked and respected there, and became something of an honorary member.

But he surely would want his obituary to emphasize two aspects of his life that he regarded as most important. One was bridge. He was a superb player, and never turned down a chance to play, whether with beginners or those of championship caliber. The other was a lifelong commitment to and interest in food and wine. He was very much the connoisseur of both, and he liked nothing better than reserving and hosting a table at a top-notch restaurant for family, friends, and colleagues. He was very much the bon vivant and boulevardier; his penchant for Italian shoes and bold, sometimes outrageous, socks was legendary, but no one ever said that his taste was anything short of refined, elegant, and classy.

Mr. Scher was a loving husband and devoted father. He was a person who inspired respect and admiration, and was immeasurably likeable. He was a nice man, a decent man, a good man. In short he was very much a mensch.

A memorial service for Jacoby will be held Sunday, March 6, 2022 from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM at Christ Church Presbyterian, 5001 Bellaire Blvd, Belalire, TX 77401. Following the memorial service will be a graveside service from 2:30 PM to 3:30 PM at Beth Yeshurun Post Oak Cemetery, 7445 Awty School Rd, Houston, TX 77055.

Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared below for the Scher family.