Joseph F. Scheyd

Joseph F. Scheyd of Kensington and Niantic, Connecticut, and a winter resident of St. Petersburg, Florida, a prominent member of both state and local politics, and business, died on February 4, 2020 at St. Francis Hospital, Hartford, Ct. He was ninety-four years old. Joe was a parishioner of both St. Paul Roman Catholic Church in Kensington, CT and of St. John Roman Catholic Church in St., Petersburg, FL.  He was a member of Shuttle Meadow Country Club of Kensington, the Connecticut State Seniors Golf Association and Isla Del Sol Yacht and Country Club in St. Petersburg, Florida. Joe’s golfing highlight came at the age of 92 when he made a hole-in one on the 6th hole at Shuttle Meadow Country Club.

A New Britain native and son of the late Mary J. (Whitbeck) Scheyd and Louis F. Scheyd, he was a 1943 graduate of New Britain High School and attended Tufts University School of Engineering. During World War II he served his country as an Ensign Officer and Navigator for the United States Navy, aboard USS PCE-843.                                                                          

He founded the Joseph F. Scheyd Real Estate Agency in 1962, and was President of Metalform Manufacturing Company of New Britain. He was a founder and served on the Board of Directors of the former First City Bank.

Joe served as Chief Assessor and Chairman of the Board for the Berlin Board of Assessors; a Berlin Police Commissioner; Officer and Director of the New Britain Board of Realtors; President of the Hartford Area Assessors Association; Vice President and Director of Berlin Chamber of Commerce; a member of the Berlin Lions Club; Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus; a Corporator of CCARC; and a Justice of the Peace.  He also served on the Board of Directors for both the Central Connecticut Hospital and the Klingberg Children’s Home in New Britain.

Joe received many life time honors and among them are Berlin’s Design and Review Committee for development of the Kensington Commons area; Designated “State Assessor of the Year” in 1976, by the Connecticut Association of Assessing Officers; in 1978 was the recipient of an Honorary Life membership for Hartford Area Assessors. In 1984, the late Governor William O’Neil appointed him to the State Motor Vehicle Property Tax Commission. Joe served as a frequent panelist for the University of Connecticut School of Business and Institute of Assessing.

No greater honor for him was that of his loving family. He is survived by his wife, Rita M. (Wolfer) Scheyd and his children, Ronald J. (Kristine) Scheyd, Richard F. (Amanda) Scheyd, Joseph D. (Sally) Scheyd all of Kensington, Beth-Ann Kennedy (Joseph A.) of Indianapolis, IN, James V.  D’Addabbo of Niantic, Ct., Sheila M. Rittman, (Donald R.) and Timothy J. (Paulette) D’Addabbo, both of Kensington. Also surviving are a niece, Barbara S. Sanel (Alfred) of Bedford, NH, a nephew, Jeffrey J. Scheyd (Linda) of Myrtle Beach, SC and a daughter-in-law Susan Scheyd. He is predeceased by his son Gary J. Scheyd, a brother, Louis A. Scheyd and a sister, Jane Scheyd, as well as a grandson, Timothy W. D’Addabbo. He is also survived and will be greatly missed by the ones blessed to have called him Poppa; his many grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday February 11th at St. Paul’s Church, 485 Alling St., Kensington at 11:30 am. Friends may call at the Erickson-Hansen Funeral Home of Berlin/Porters, 111 Chamberlain Hwy, (Rte 71-A) Kensington, Tuesday morning from 9 to 11am. Burial with Military honors following Mass at West Lane Cemetery.  In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Paul School, 461 Alling Street, Kensington, CT, or The Peggy and Dick Ficks Scholarship Fund at Tunxis Foundation, 271 Scott Swamp Road, Farmington, CT.

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