Ronald W. Scharff ’71

Ron died on May 6, 1999. At his death, he was a resident of Kingston, N.Y. Ron came to Princeton from Garden City [N.Y.] H.S. He majored in electrical engineering, with a particular interest in computer science, and was a member of Stevenson Hall. He roomed with Sherm Bristow and Al Gilbert during freshman year, and with David Lyon during the rest of his time at Princeton. He worked during the summers for Grumman Aircraft, which provided him with a scholarship.

After Princeton, he worked for IBM for a number of years, but apparently became increasingly unwell, and by the time of our 25th reunion he listed himself as disabled. David Lyon writes: "Ron was cheery and easy to be around, but also irreverent, skeptical, and questioning. His casual ease with math not only awed me, but saved my [life] on a few projects, too." Ron is survived by his mother, Joan Owens Scharff, and by his sister, Virginia, to whom the class sends its deepest condolences.

The Class of 1971