Stephen J. Scherr passed away on March 11, 2016, in Seattle, WA at age 75, after a two-month struggle with esophageal cancer. He is predeceased by his wife Jean Scherr and survived by his sister Judith Scherr, sister-in-law Deena Cohen, daughter Rachel Scherr, son-in-law Dale Hailey, and grandsons Jordan and Aaron.

Born in Washington, DC, the oldest child of Esther Wysock and Edwin Scherr, Steve attended Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. He moved to California in 1965, where he graduated from San Francisco Law School. He became an influential lawyer in San Francisco, practicing for decades in the Law Offices of Winslow and Schmidt. Known as a brilliant legal mind and respected for his phenomenal memory, he often worked as co-counsel with other lawyers representing high-profile defendants. He lectured and appeared in seminars before numerous organizations, including the Northern California Criminal Trial Lawyers Organization and the National Association of Criminal Defense Lawyers. He had a special interest in defending homicides, particularly death penalty cases.

A memorial will be held on April 10, 2016 from 1-5pm at the Golden Gate Club (135 Fisher Loop, SF, CA 94129).

Donations may be made to the American Civil Liberties Union or Americans United for Separation of Church and State.