Philip Anthony Scheurer

Philip Anthony (Phil) Scheurer, 77, of Johns Island, South Carolina, passed on to his just rewards on February 14, 2021, surrounded by his wife, Nancy, and his sons, Chris and Mark. By his own account, he lived a wonderful life before succumbing to the travails of pulmonary fibrosis, which he contracted in his later years. As he summed it up best in his final days, “what an adventure!”

He was preceded in death by his father and mother, Philip Zephaniah and Beatrice Catherine Scheurer; his daughter, Beth Ellen Lancaster; his very special aunt, Julia Elizabeth (Jay) Gioia; his sister, Patricia Scheurer McInerney and his brother, Andrew James Scheurer.

In addition to his devoted wife of 54 years, Anne Julie (Nancy) Scheurer, whom he adored, he leaves to mourn his passing, his two sons: Chris and wife, Genie, of Charlotte, NC and Mark and wife, Danielle, of Charleston, SC. Also surviving are his eight beloved grandchildren, on whom he doted and who adored their “Pop Pop”: Madeleine Lancaster, Allison Lancaster and Michael A. Lancaster of Signal Mountain, TN, Avery Scheurer, Philip Scheurer and Margaret Scheurer of Charlotte, NC and Leddy Scheurer and Bowen Scheurer of Charleston, SC.

Phil was born in Hoboken, NJ and soon moved with his family to the New Jersey Shore where he was educated in the parochial schools before enrolling in the College of New Jersey where he earned his baccalaureate degree in Special Education in 1965. While attending college, he established deep friendships, which were maintained for over 50 years. These special college friends and their spouses whom he leaves behind are David K. and Marci Spero of NJ and FL, Jack and Trudy Heater of PA, David and Evelyn Cochran of NJ, Gerard and Ruth Mooney of PA and Glenn and Peggy Morgan of NJ.

Phil relished these life-long friendships, their close communication for more than half a century, the post-retirement travels around the world and, in particular, the sharing of family joys as only close friends can do.

Following college, he was awarded a fellowship for graduate study at Southern Illinois University. While there, he completed his M.S. in Higher Education Administration and married Nancy, his high school sweetheart. Thereafter, he relocated to Knoxville, Tennessee to begin a rewarding career at the University of Tennessee that lasted 40 years.

At UT, he held leadership positions in the Division of Administration and Student Affairs, Auxiliary Enterprises, Business and Finance and UT System Administration. Upon retirement, he was named both Vice Chancellor and Vice President Emeritus of Operations. He was awarded Chancellors Citations for Outstanding Service to the University and Outstanding Service to the Community. He was made an honorary life member of the Pride of the Southland Marching Band and was named Administrator of the Year by both the Student Government Association and the Interfraternity Council many times. More than anything else about his time at UT, Phil loved that his many roles allowed him to both befriend and mentor myriad students, educators and administrators over the years.

A big believer in community service and supporter of the arts, Phil was very active in affairs of the Knoxville community serving at various times on the Boards of Directors of the United Way of Knoxville and Knox County, Knoxville Museum of Art, Knoxville Opera, Knoxville Symphony Society, Dogwood Arts Festival, Arts Council of Knoxville, Knoxville Roundtable of Christians and Jews, Knoxville Rotary Club, The Frank and Virginia Rogers Foundation, UT Federal Credit Union, and the Acquisitions Committee of the East Tennessee Historical Society.

His almost 50 years in Knoxville were made all the more special by close, decades-long friendships with Charlie and Carolyn Susano, Bob and Cathy Greenberg, Clif Woods, Jeff and Kim Maples, Tim and Jeanne Reese and Vince and Joan Adorno.

Phil Scheurer was a man of many and varied interests – he loved the beach, saltwater fishing, gardening, the performing, literary and visual arts, the opera, folk and Southern furniture and all things Italian, especially cooking. He believed in straight talk and hard work. Most of all, though, Phil’s life was devoted to his family, Nancy and his children and grandchildren, for whom his love was boundless and no effort or sacrifice too much. They will dearly miss him.

A Requiem Mass for Phil will be celebrated by Father Patrick Allen 10:00 AM, Saturday, February 27, 2021, at Saint Mary of the Annunciation Catholic Church, streamed at https://youtube.com/channel/UCz9BPK2M_-NZGLmwZjSo7rw Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, in-person attendance will be limited to family. At a later date, Mr. Scheurer’s remains will be interred at a private ceremony in the family plot at Highland Memorial Cemetery in Knoxville, TN.

Memorials may be sent to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga College of Nursing, 615 McCallie Avenue, Department 1051, Chattanooga, TN 37403, and designated to The Lancaster Prize, a scholarship to further graduate nursing education for single, working parents seeking to become Nurse Practitioners, in honor of their daughter, Beth Lancaster, after her untimely death.