Peter Scheuzger, 81, of Waldoboro, formerly of Highland Park Ill., and originally from Switzerland, died April 23 at home in his sleep. He was the beloved father of Thomas (wife Andrea), Brian (wife Amanda, sons Samuel and Henry), and the late Kathryn; beloved husband to the late Ruth; dearest brother and uncle to many relatives in Switzerland; supportive, loving friend and neighbor to many; and constant companion to Gunta, his 15-year-old Chinook dog. He will be greatly missed.
The youngest of six children, Peter was born in Moosleerau, a small village in the canton of Aargau, Switzerland on July 16, 1926. A mechanical engineer, he received his degree at the Technikum Winterthur in Switzerland in 1949. He met Ruth in 1952, and they were married in Basel in 1955. Together, they left Switzerland in July of that year and immigrated to the United States. They lived in Chicago, Ill. for several years, then suburban Evanston, Ill., and finally Highland Park, Ill., where they raised their three children. In 1992, Peter and Ruth retired to Waldoboro to an old shipbuilder’s home on the Medomak River.
In an engineering career spanning 40 years, Peter held several U.S. patents. He worked for Victor Comptometer, Addressograph-Multigraph (later Multigraphics), and Breuer Electric Manufacturing. While at Victor Comptometer, he led the team that developed the Electrowriter, a precursor to the modern fax machine that would mechanically and precisely transfer handwritten information over a telephone line. He also collaborated on and headed projects involving electro-mechanical adding machines, printing and photocopying machines, and industrial floor cleaning apparatus.
In Maine, Peter was an active member of the Broad Bay Congregational United Church of Christ in Waldoboro, where he served as treasurer, choir member, sound recorder, and tower bell ringer for many years. An exceptional whistler and a practicing tenor, he sang regularly with the Sheepscot Valley Chorus, and shared his wife’s love of classical music. Music was a part of his daily life. Growing up, he learned to yodel with his family, and since January, he began to take piano lessons. He enjoyed stamp collecting, gardening, songbirds, pets, wildlife, and the beauty of nature. He had a soft spot for watching a good soccer game, and kept up with the Chicago sports teams, while slowly becoming a Boston fan as well. In recent years, he cruised to Alaska and later returned to the land of his family and forefathers in Switzerland. All the while, he lived a quiet life of simple language, honesty, hard work, and love for family and friends. He also had an infectious sense of humor.
Memorial service 10:30 a.m., Sat., May 17 at the Broad Bay Congregational United Church of Christ, 941 Main St., P.O. Box 161, Waldoboro, ME 04572, 832-6898.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in his name, payable to the Broad Bay Congregational United Church of Christ, 941 Main St., P.O. Box 161, Waldoboro, ME 04572, 832-6898.
Arrangements entrusted to Hall Funeral Home and Cremation Service, 949 Main St., Waldoboro.
