Sophomore Kurt Scheele was remembered during a memorial service at the Interfaith Chapel last Friday. Scheele, a native of the Buffalo area, died Oct. 31 in Mount Hope Cemetery.
An active member of the University community, Scheele was a member of the track team and the Sigma Nu Fraternity. He is survived by his friends and family, including his brother Eric Scheele, a UR graduate student.
A memorial service held Nov. 7 in the Interfaith Chapel highlighted Scheele’s life at UR and the impact he had on the university community.
Eric Scheele, who delivered the eulogy at the memorial service, noted the sense of community that was present. Attendees echoed this sentiment.
‘It was nice to see not only members of SN, but also professors and staff and those connected with the family,” Eric Scheele said. ‘It gave a real sense of closeness of the community.”
He said that the ritual performed by Sigma Nu Fraternity was a good way to highlight Scheele’s life.
The ritual, A Ceremony for a Fallen Brother, was performed by members of SN. Junior Nick Farris, a member of SN, noted that Seligman and the chaplains recited verses from a SN book of rituals to commemorate Scheele’s life.
‘The brotherhood also got together and recited verses,” Ferris said. ‘I thought it was a great service.”
Campus religious leaders, including the Rev. Laurie Tiberi of the UR Protestant Chapel Community and Rev. Brian Cool of the UR Catholic Newman Community, also participated.
Eric Scheele was very pleased that University religious leaders were able to work with the Scheele family chaplain, the Rev. Keith Griswold, to help arrange the memorial service. He added that the University administration, particularly Cool, Tiberi and Dean of Students Matthew Burns, were extremely helpful in setting up the memorial service.
Several other University leaders spoke at the service, including comments by UR President Joel Seligman and Burns.
Eric Scheele described his brother as the rock of his family and a compassionate family man.
‘He was very caring and touched so many people,” Eric Scheele said.
Scheele participated as a hammer-thrower on the men’s track team. His teammates and coach remember him for his hard work and personality.
Men’s track and field coach John Izzo noted Scheele’s ability to get along with others.
‘He got along very well with his teammates,” Izzo said. ‘He was certainly a nice guy with a good sense of humor.”
Izzo also noted Scheele was making substantial progress learning his new throwing events.
Farris, a teammate of Scheele’s on the track team, noted that even though Scheele was busy with the fraternity and the track team, academics were a high priority.
‘He planned to double major in brain and cognitive sciences and psychology. His primary focus was his studies,” Farris said.
Junior Ethan Kaplan, a fellow member of the SN fraternity and the track team, described Scheele’s popularity.
‘Everyone loved him,” Kaplan said. ‘He was an overall good guy.”
SN President and junior Christopher Bierasinski noted Scheele’s likeable personality.
‘He was a great person to have around,” Bierasinski said. ‘He was very charismatic and always said the smartest things.”
Dean of the College Richard Feldman attended the memorial service as well, and he noted the support there for Scheele.
‘It was clear that Scheele meant a lot to a lot of people,” Feldman said. ‘He had integrity and honesty and many people cared about him.”
Willis is a member of the class of 2011.
