After months of failing health Dr. Murray Sheibe, 87, succumbed to COPD at this home on May 22. He is survived by the love of his life and wife of 63 years — Jean, son Ben Scheibe (Kathy Hall), of Los Angeles, and daughter Leah Scheibe (Will Hollifield) of San Leandro. He was predeceased last year by his youngest child, Rachel Scheibe of Berkeley. Born in the Bronx, NY to Jacob and Jennie Berlinger Scheibe, Murray was raised in Brooklyn in Brighton Beach. He earned his BS in Physics at Brooklyn College, then was recruited to a newly formed graduate program at the University of Maryland under Dr. John Toll, where he obtained his PhD. Afterward he accepted with some prompting from Jean, a position in California at Lockheed in Palo Alto. The young family of three later welcomed two daughters while in the Bay Area before moving to Santa Barbara in 1971. Murray was an early recruit to newly formed Mission Research and worked at that firm most of the rest of his professional life. Murray possessed an extraordinary intellect, with an amazing depth of knowledge of history, politics, archeology, art, music, ballet, theatre as well as old movies. A man of quiet wit, he was an independent thinker, ever curious and willing to try new things (as long as they weren’t in his dinner). He was an avid bridge player, voracious reader and enjoyed traveling with his wife to wide range of sites from Machu Picchu to Katmandu, as well as Europe and the U.S., until he could no longer travel. A gathering of friends is planned for August, date to be arranged. The family wishes to thank Hospice/Visiting Nurses who took Murray under their wing the final 5 weeks of his life. Also caregivers provided by Helping Hands, especially Karen Brown, and Help Unlimited, especially Norma Martinez. Thanks also to Dr. Jeffrey Kupperman. All showed Murray tender care and genuine concern. If considering a memorial contribution, his favorite causes were Planned Parenthood, plannedparenthood.org; Am. Civil Liberties Union, www.aclu.org & World Wildlife, worldwildlife.org
