Frederick Vincent Scheel, 85, passed away on Thursday, February 17, 2022 after a brief  illness.

Born in The Bronx, Fred and his family moved to Cold Spring, New York in the mid-1940's; they resided for several years at Plumbush before moving to Garrison, New York. In Garrison, Fred became an outdoorsman, developing a love of fishing, and a curiosity of creatures. In sixth grade, he was President of the Snake Club. At a family gathering, he was dubbed Mr. Science by the youngest child.

Fred was extremely fortunate to be awarded a scholarship to and to graduate from Hackley School in Tarrytown, NY. Fred always credited Hackley with all his success that followed. He excelled academically and was President of the Senior Class. He thoroughly enjoyed playing football for his coach, who was affectionally nicknamed The Mouse. Fred was also a stand-out baseball player and to this day, keeps his baseball mitt on his bedroom dresser. He participated in open try-outs for the Brooklyn Dodgers. 

Following Hackley, Fred attended university in England for a year, during which time he traveled throughout Europe with a memorable trip backpacking in the Basque Region. Upon his return he enrolled in Princeton University, where he again excelled academically and at sports. One of his greatest triumphs in life was the hockey game in which Fred’s perpetually underdog Eating Club defeated its perpetually arch-rival Eating Club. Fred scored three goals (a hat trick), including the winning goal and the next morning received a spontaneous standing ovation from his club. That feeling of elation was always with him and will remain with him forever. At graduation, he was awarded the Intramural Athlete Award. 

During his Princeton years, Fred worked summers at a mining operation in Leadville, Colorado, living in the camp dormitory and working a multitude of jobs, including actual mining and surveying. He was known to regale people, notably nieces and nephews with stories of those summers. 

Upon graduating from Princeton, Fred taught high school in Canada for a year; upon his return, Fred began his entrance into the world of advertising and marketing. After gaining experience in various positions, such as copywriter, data analyst and client account manager, Fred joined the Robert A. Becker Agency in Manhattan which specialized in the pharmaceutical industry. Becoming a Principal of the firm was a highlight of his career.

In the mid-1980’s Fred joined the marketing department of Berlex Laboratories in Wayne, New Jersey. In his role of Director of Marketing Communications, Fred was responsible for the company’s participation in medical conventions. His greatest challenges, and his greatest successes, were to create social events at the conventions, including a private concert by the Beach Boys (at which Brian Wilson played and sang), a performance by the San Francisco Philharmonic Orchestra, and an evening with Irish Tenor Ronan Tynan. By far, though, Fred’s greatest moment at Berlex was when he met his future wife, Jane Gilligan, by chance on a stairway. Fred retired in 2007.

Fred and Jane lived for 25 years in Vernon, New Jersey in a house with a commanding 13 mile view of the Wallkill River Valley and the High Point Monument. Theirs was farm property and for quite a number of years Fred enjoyed raising a few cows and grew the best tomatoes, squash, corn and pumpkins. Hilarity often ensued whenever a cow broke loose, and police, friends and family would head out on a search party. (All came home safe and sound, including the humans.) Fred loved having guests for pool parties, most of all the GilliganFests which gave him an opportunity to perform his Rodney Dangerfield impressions. Fred and Jane left part of their hearts in Vernon. 

They also had a beloved home for many years in Cape May Point, New Jersey and were fortunate to have an outstanding view of dunes and the ocean. 

Fred and Jane took up residence in Spring Lake in 2014. Fred was always so pleased to have been included in the luncheon meetings of Retired Shore Men’s Group. 

Fred had a deep love, admiration and respect for his brother, Bill, and truly loved Bill’s wife, Valerie, and their daughters and grandsons. Fred found extraordinary pleasure visiting them in Cape Cod, and before each visit had ended, Fred was making plans for the next visit. Fred truly cherished the entire family.

Surviving Fred are his wife of 33 years, Jane Gilligan; his brother, William Scheel, and his wife Valerie Scheel; his brother-in-law, Vincent Gilligan, and his partner, Deborah Bartlett; his sister-in-law, Nancy Pisauro, and her husband Joseph Pisauro; and sister-in-law Sheila Gilligan and her husband Charles Gormally, Fred is survived by many nieces and nephews, each of whom he treasured and loved; they are Brenna Gormally, Bridget Gilligan Ferrell, Cara O’Connor, Christian Pisauro, Dan Crawford, Jean Crawford, Laura Scheel, Michael Gormally and Pamela Scheel. Fred is also survived by great nieces and nephews Hunter Ferrell, Henry Ferrell, Rowan Stack, Nolan Stack, Liam O'Connor, Quinn O'Connor and Cole Benton.

Fred is predeceased by his sister, Kathryn Scheel Reydel, and her husband, William Reydel, as well as his parents, Frederick C. Scheel and Katherine Scheel (nee Doris) of Garrison, New York. 

Viewing will be held on Monday, February 21, 2022 from 2 to 4 PM with a funeral service being held at 3:30 PM at O’Brien Funeral Home, 2028 Highway 35, Wall, New Jersey 07719 (732) 449-6900. Cremation will be private.