George Henry Scharff

Nov. 3, 1929 -Feb. 21, 2022

George Henry Scharff, 92, a lifelong resident of the Rocklyn - Davenport, Wash. area, passed away peacefully on Feb. 21, 2022. George was born Nov. 3, 1929 to parents Rudolph and Dora (Teel) Scharff. George was a local farmer, rancher and rental house landlord. He was known for his honesty, hard work, frugality, intelligence and generosity.

George attended Davenport Schools and graduated high school in 1948. After graduation, George attended Whitworth College for a short time. That is where he met Mary, since she was also attending there. Then he returned home to help his dad farm. When his dad passed away in 1952 he took over the farm and raised wheat, cattle, and chickens. George was mechanically inclined. He had a huge scrap iron pile behind his shop that he would use to build or refurbish his own farm equipment.

On Dec. 10, 1950 George and Mary were married in Wenatchee, Wash. He built a small honeymoon house for them out of the walls of an old farmstead house. He called the house a cracker box house because it was so small. They made this their home for a couple years. George's mother Dora moved to Spokane in 1955 to live with her daughter, so that George and Mary could move their growing family into the main farmhouse. George moved the small cracker box house to Davenport in 1957 to use as a rental. This was the start of his rental business and rebuilding of old homes, which he loved. For many years George was the largest rental property owner in Davenport.

George was actively involved in revitalizing neighborhoods, planning and developing projects including churches, the Jahn Ball Field, helping to build the FFA display fairgrounds building, donating cases of Bibles to share the gospel, and funding kids to go the church camp, sponsoring missionaries, and much more. He was private about his generosity and did not want any fanfare. Many have benefited from George's generosity of time, money and help and some without even knowing it.

He was preceded in death by his parents Rudolph and Dora (Teel) Scharff, sister and brother-in-law Margarette (Gene) Unruh, brother-in-law Al Groves and brother-in-law Tom Roth.

George is survived by his wife of 71 years, Mary Ellen (Guthrie) Scharff, his three children David (Trudy) Scharff, Daniel (Georgia) Scharff, Cathy Plumb, and seven grand-children, nine great-grandchildren and one great-great-grandchild.

Funeral services will be held at Trinity Bible Fellowship at 1:00 p.m. Friday, Feb. 25, 2022. Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at http://www.stratefuneral.com for the Scharff family. Strate Funeral Home, Davenport, Wash. is in charge of arrangements.