Scherer, Jack Stanton Joseph, Age: 16, Freehold

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Jack Stanton Joseph Scherer, 16, Freehold
Oct. 19, 1999 – Jan. 16, 2016

Whether skating for his high school hockey team or flying a Cessna above the Jersey shore as a student pilot, Jack Stanton Joseph Scherer, 16, brought passion and determination to everything he did.

A sophomore at Christian Brothers Academy in Lincroft and the eldest of five children, Jack took to life with an adventurous spirit, an inquisitive mind and a loving heart.

Jack’s greatest passion was flying.

“Looking down on the beach and the town of Belmar is an out-of-the-world feeling,” Jack wrote in an essay about learning to fly. “There is nothing like being on top of the world looking down, thinking about my life and how grateful I am for it.”

Jack, who turned 16 in October, had planned to get his driving permit and drive himself to the airport to make his first solo flight. A highlight of his flying career was sitting at the controls of a blimp flying above New Jersey on an outing with his father, Scott.

Besides flying, Jack loved hockey. He learned to skate when he was 4 years old and began playing hockey three years later. One of Jack’s dreams was to attend CBA, where he tried out for the hockey team. He was thrilled when he was asked to play goalie for the junior varsity team.

The family is deeply grateful for the support he received from his teammates, the school and alumni.

When he wasn’t flying or playing hockey, Jack enjoyed water sports. After earning his basic scuba certification, he braved the cold waters of a Pennsylvania quarry to complete his advanced class, which allowed him to dive to 80 feet. He had several opportunities to dive at some of the best diving locations in the world. On vacations with his grandparents in Maine, he spent his days kayaking on a lake, swimming with his brothers and fishing.

Jack was an avid student who excelled in science and math. He was a hard worker outside of school and loved his position at Jersey Mike’s of Freehold and considered them family.

Jack died January 16 after a courageous battle with cancer.

He is survived by his parents, Kym and Scott Scherer; his siblings, Parker, Olivia, Chase and Lauren; grandparents, Anne and Jim Henry of Tinton Falls, Keith J. Matches of Pleasant Mount, Pa., Stanton and Kathy Scherer of Pawling, N.Y., and Joan and Yona Bar-Zeev of Wilmington, N.C. He is also survived by his aunts and uncles, Keith and Noelle Fitzpatrick of Shrewsbury, Caryn Scherer of Summit, Lynn and Johan Marfey of New York, Maureen FitzPatrick and Dan Selby of Santa Cruz, Calif., Joseph and Patty Fitzpatrick of Shrewsbury, Kevin Fitzpatrick of Asheville, N.C., Cathy and Tom Klaus of Oakhurst, Michael and Patti Fitzpatrick of Bridgewater, Peter Fitzpatrick of Belmar, and John and Debra Henry of San Diego; and cousins Aidan, Kayleigh, Kayla, Aren, Jason, Dylan, Ryan, Erin, Jen, Katie and Eddie – and Bruiser.

Visitation was held on Wednesday, January 20 at the John E. Day Funeral Home, Red Bank. A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated on Thursday, January 21 at 11 a.m. at St. Anthony of Padua R.C. Church, Red Bank. Interment will fol- low at Mt. Olivet Cemeter y, Middletown.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial donations be made to the Jack Scherer Memorial CBA Scholarship, 72 Borden Street, Shrewsbury, NJ 07702. Please visit Jack’s memorial web page at johnedayfuneralhome.com.