Thomas F. Schiff

Thomas Franklin Schiff, 69, died at his home from heart failure on March 9, 2026. He was born on November 20, 1956, in Sacramento, California, to Jacqui Lee and Charles Olson. He was adopted at an early age by Morris Schiff of Richmond and Fredericksburg, Virginia, after Morris and Jacqui married.

He grew up in California and Virginia. After high school, he worked for a music shop in the Bay Area and learned to repair guitars. In 1978-79, he moved to Richmond, VA, and worked for Guitar Works. In 1981, he returned to Fredericksburg with his wife, Nancy Buck. They welcomed their son Buck Olson Schiff in 1982. He attended Germanna Community College 1982-84, successfully completing the Associates program in electronics. While his goal was to develop his skills to repair electric guitars and sound equipment, he was immediately hired in 1984 by Vepco as a telecommunications technician. He left Vepco in 1994. His ambition was always to play music and be a luthier or guitar repairman, goals he achieved. He succeeded in setting up a full-time guitar repair business in Fredericksburg and earned a reputation as a skilled craftsman. He, along with his partner, Kathy Douberly, ran a very popular weekly Open Mic for musicians at the Colonial Tavern for 25+ years.

Thom loved his community and volunteered to serve on the City of Fredericksburg Social Services Board of Directors. He supported fundraisers for organizations such as Empowerhouse and Downtown Greens. Thom was a quiet, unassuming force who brought out the best in others. He mentored those who wanted to learn skills.

Thom had many friends who he considered family in the Fredericksburg area. This family of friends cherished memories of gathering in each other's houses for evenings of board games, playing music together, and enjoying meals and good conversation. Though Thom had no religious affiliation, his values were strongly rooted in Judeo-Christian and Humanistic traditions, as was evidenced in his strong commitment to creating a loving community around him. Perhaps he was more Quaker then anything else, as he worked for a while to nurture a Friends meeting in Fredericksburg.

He is survived by his son, Buck Olson Schiff, his brothers, Charles Andrew Olson and Frederick Richard Schiff, five nieces, two nephews, and numerous great nephews and nieces. He is also survived by Nancy Buck and “his Marianne" Reed, who he said was too young to be called stepmom. Surviving him as well are the children and grandchildren of his longtime partner Kathy Douberly who hold Papa Thom close to their hearts. He is preceded in death by his parents, Jacqui Lee and Charles Olson, his father, Morris Schiff, his partner of twenty five years, Kathryn Pierce Douberly, and his niece Crystin Alice

Schiff.

The family wishes to gratefully thank the close circle of Thom's friends who every day for the last months cared for him with visits, rides, hospital visits, food, love, and laughter. You wrapped him gently in your arms as he slowly traveled to meet Kathy on the next plane.

There will be a memorial service at Hurkamp Park on William Street in Fredericksburg on Sunday, April 12, from 3-5 pm, rain or shine. Please bring a chair and a song to share if you like. There will be a celebration of Thom's life at open mic at Colonial Tavern on April 20, 7-11 pm, for friends and family. In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the Downtown Greens, downtowngreens.org/donate.html, in Thom’s memory. Inurnment will be at a later date.

Thom's frequent comment at open mic, which sums him up, was "No one was harmed in the playing of this song.”