Beverly Ann Plew Scharwath

Beverly Ann Plew Scharwath,age 88,passed away peacefully on Monday, July 14, 2025, at the Guthrie Cortland Regional Medical Center, Cortland, NY.

Beverly was born on July 5, 1937 in Thompson, PA to her parents Harlow and Dorothy Plew. She was raised in Marathon, NY and graduated from Marathon High School in June of 1954. After she graduated high school she married John Schumacher, Jr. and had two sons, James, and Jay. She later moved to Philadelphia, PA where she pursued a Bachelor's Degree in English from LaSalle University where she graduated in May of 1979. Upon graduation from LaSalle, Beverly married Robert and they relocated to California. While in California, Beverly held a career in human resources at Parker Seal. After her retirement from Parker, she and Bob moved to Kentucky, where they enjoyed their retirement by traveling, spending time with friends and family, and doting over their beloved husky Brooke. Beverly had a wonderful life. A life full of love, family, a career, and many fulfilling hobbies. She was an avid scrapbooker, she loved going camping, and she loved spending time with friends and family most of all. One of her proudest accomplishments in retirement was being able to travel to and camp at every state park in Kentucky. Beverly was also a skilled piano player. She played at home for her family and friends, and she also played piano for her church that she regularly attended. Although Beverly enjoyed many hobbies, her most notable was her love for elephants and collecting them. At the time of her passing she had over 500 elephant collectibles, and if that was not impressive enough, she made sure that every one of them was documented on where it came from and the story behind it. Just as important, she spent hours making sure that every elephant had its place and was organized in just the perfect display.

Beverly is survived by her children, James (Lois) Schumacher of Marathon, Jay (Cheri) Andrews of Perkasie,PA and stepson Robert Scharwath, Jr. of Illinois. She is also survived by her grandchildren, Tammy Schumacher of Marathon, Jason (Scotty) Schumacher of Cortland, Karen Schumacher of Wasilla, AK and Rachel, Rebecca, and Sarah Andrews of Perkasie, PA.She is also survived by two step-grandchildren, Christian Scharwath and Hailey Scharwath. She is survived by her sister Priscilla Scheller of Fulton, and her brothers David (Joan) Plew of McGraw, Paul (Pamela) Plew of Valencia,CA, and Phillip (Sally) Plew of Florida. She is also survived by 5 great-grandchildren, 5 great-great-grandchildren, and many nieces and nephews.

Beverly was preceded in death by her father Harlow Plew (1997), mother Dorothy Plew (2013), husband Robert Scharwath (2022) and sister Phyllis Wood. She is also preceded in death by her beloved Husky Brooke. 

Although Beverly has gone home into her Savior's arms, her memory here will always be cherished. As A.A. Milne so beautifully said in Winnie the Pooh, “How lucky am I to have someone that makes saying goodbye so hard.” The family would also like to send a special thank you to the nurses and doctors on unit 2 south at Guthrie Cortland Hospital for their above and beyond care and compassion for Beverly and her family in this difficult time.

A private celebration of Bev’s life and internment at the Marathon Cemetery will take place at a later date. In lieu of flowers, we ask that you consider the World Wildlife Fund or any similar organizations that aid in the preservation of the elephant population to honor Beverly's passions.