Bernie Schaming: The man who does so much for so many
By SAUL RESNICK
For The Sun
Dedicated. Bright. Modest. Low key. An unsung hero.
That’s Bernie Schaming, the 65 Club’s longtime secretary. He also is the publisher of its newsletter and resident expert in the card game bridge. He is also the person in the club who people turn to when things need to be done. Simply put, he likes helping others without fanfare.
“My approach to life came from my parents who taught me some simple basics — work hard, and you will do well in life, and always avoid hurting the feelings of others,” said Bernie. “Life’s tour for me has been a journey of good fortune, and my parents, Bernard and Susan, and my wife, Betsy, have provided the love which charted the road for me. I have been very lucky.”
Bernie, born in Bradford, Pa., was the youngest of nine children. His father worked at a refinery at night while establishing a construction business during the day. His mother was a teacher.
Bernie went on to earn bachelor’s and master’s degrees in electrical engineering, the latter at the University of Pennsylvania.
Bernie and his wife moved to Haddonfield in 1964. “I worked in various capacities for RCA, General Electric and Lockheed Martin,” said Bernie. “My job included highly classified government-related activities for 15 years with sophisticated computer simulations, which involved thousands of experiments, as well as on facets of the Apollo space program.”
Bernie retired in 2000.
“And then I went right back to work in the community,” said Bernie. “I became secretary of the 65 Club in 2002, and then thanks to a significant contribution from the will of a widow of a 65 Club member, I undertook a major construction project. With the money and Haddonfield’s participation through the offices of then-Mayor Tish Colombi, I was able to oversee and contract for a major refurbishment of the 65 Club building off Haddon Avenue.
“During those years, and right up to the present, I have also worked with the Interfaith Caregivers, driving clients and overseeing work in their offices, including renovations and painting of their building’s entire interior.
“There is no greater feeling than helping others,” concluded Bernie.
Bernie and his wife, Betsy, have two sons and a daughter, as well as eight grandchildren, all living nearby. “It is wonderful to have family in the area, see the grandkids with some frequency, and continue my volunteer efforts for other people.”
Does Bernie have any regrets about life?
“None!” said Bernie emphatically. “And I am looking forward to many more great years.”
Then there was a pause.
“On second thought, there is one,” he said. “For my various services, I have a 25-year ring from RCA, a 30-year ring from GE, and a 35-year ring from Lockheed Martin. That adds up to 90 years. However, I could not convince them to triple my pension. If I could change that, I sure would.”
This is another in the series The Sun is running about people who make significant contributions to the Haddonfield community. If you are interested in joining the Haddonfield 65 Club, contact Bill Brown at 429–4368 or by email at [email protected].
