Schechinger, Robert C.

Robert C. Schechinger of Essex Connecticut passed away on Friday, May 20th at the age of 94. He was born on 16 July 1927 in Wilmington, Delaware where they grew up as the only child of Hilda and Carl Schechinger.

After High School, Bob enlisted in the Navy and served two years as a Quartermaster on a mine sweeper, being Honorably Discharged in 1946. Though he never talked directly about his war service, his favorite antidote was being pleasantly surprised at the mess hall during training in Upstate New York. The food tasted just like his mother's due, no doubt, to the German POW cooks in the camp kitchen. Upon his discharge, he enrolled in the University of Delaware,

graduating in 1951, with a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration. While there, he was a member of Kappa Alpha fraternity, played defense on the Varsity Lacrosse team and indulged in his life-long love of theater by acting in college plays.

Upon graduation Bob started work at the Du Pont Company in 1951 as a student operator in manufacturing at their Martinsville Va. plant. This was the beginning of a lifelong career with the company, resulting in regular promotions and shuttling every year or two between the Wilmington and New York offices. After two years on loan as director of marketing for Polyacryl Iran Corporation, in Tehran he returned to New York

in 1978 as Division Manager of Apparel Merchandizing for all Du Pont fibers, including Men's, Women's and Children's wear. After his retirement in the mid 1980's he continued to serve as spokesman for the “Crafted with Pride – Made in America” lobby, which entailed, among other things, traveling to trade shows with the current Miss America and being on the Board of the

All-American Tennis Tournament for the next decade.

During this period and until his late 80's he and his

wife of 72 years, Dorothy, split their time between golfing at Black Hall Country Club from their Old Saybrook

home and skiing all winter at Okemo from their home in Ludlow, Vermont. Finding Bob and his skiing companions on the slopes was easy given that they invariably sang on chair lifts. After they left Vermont, they moved into Essex Meadows where he continued to golf and continue his acting in the Facility's Theater group.

Dad passed away peacefully last Friday afternoon, after a brief illness, with his family at his side. It is a testament to our father's level of activity, incessant good humor, and love of life that we all feel that he passed “suddenly”, despite being nearly 95 years old. It can

truly be said by all that knew him that he brought joy to his family, friends, and acquaintances, and he lived

life thoroughly and with good cheer. He was a loving husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, and a true friend. Scheck would light up a room when he entered and everyone who got to know him, loved him. Bob's hard work at a successful career enabled him to spend quality time over the decades with his family skiing, golfing, and singing on the lifts! His memory is cherished by us all.

Bob is survived by his bride, Dorothy, his children, Christine Strong, Bruce Schechinger and Biff Schechinger, their spouses Ed Strong, Tammy Schechinger and Jill Hammerberg, as well as seven grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

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