Stuart M. Sheffer

He was a child filled with curiosity, who loved to read and enjoyed history so much that he excelled in memorizing dates and could answer any historical question with accuracy. His excellent memory for dates did not only apply to history, he loved sports also and when Stuart was 16, one of his father’s friends was arguing with him about a 1930’s World Series question and his father told his friend that he wouldn’t bet against him.

After graduating High School, he attended University of South Carolina, spent a semester as an exchange student in England, and earned a double major degree in English and History. He met and married his wife of 39 years, Jennifer Steele Sheffer and they moved to New York, then to Boston where he attended Boston University and taught an introduction to creative writing class. He also worked on research for a book about Herman Melville and the writing of Moby Dick, one of his favorite novels. From Boston, he went to University of Southern California and earned a degree in Screenplay Writing. He went on to work for Interscope Communications. His dream was to be a writer and he achieved that dream in many ways, from short stories to screenplays that he collaborated on.

Stuart enjoyed meeting new people and made friends easily everywhere he went. He could talk to anyone about any topic. His sense of humor was unparalleled and he could make you laugh out loud. Sometimes it was more subtle and when you finally got the joke, you chuckled with appreciation.

He was generous, kind and compassionate to everyone he met but especially to his friends and family. His friends all describe him as one of the coolest people they have ever met, sweet, kind and a smart man.

He loved animals and showered attention on every dog he met in our neighborhood. In fact, they all came to know his walking routine and would be waiting to join him when he came by on his walks. He considered them his friends too and people around our neighborhood called him the “dog whisperer.”

He loved to walk and he was also an avid runner, completing marathons in different cities. He loved basketball, baseball, football and tennis.

He loved art, music, movies, books, and most of all his family and friends, whom he was always there for in so many thoughtful ways, whether it was an article or a cartoon from the New Yorker Magazine he texted to them because he knew they would enjoy it, or a phone call to check in with them, to simply chat or to offer support.

He was loved by all who had the pleasure of knowing him.

He is survived by his wife, Jennifer S. Sheffer; his mother, Brenda Sheffer; brothers, Stephen (Michelle) Sheffer and Vincent (Marissa) Sheffer; niece, Meghan Scherer; nephew, Matthew Sheffer; aunt, Margie Yanker; and many cousins, second cousins and great nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by his father, Darrell Sheffer.