Kenneth Philip Scholtz

With deep sorrow, we announce the death of Kenneth Philip Scholtz on February 14, 2026 after a short illness. During his 87 years, he touched many lives with his love of family and friends, of scholarship, travel, music, and dance. He will be remembered as a kind, friendly, and highly intelligent man, with an easy laugh and the loudest sneeze in the world.

He was born and raised in Los Angeles and lived most of his life there. He attended Caltech (Electrical Engineering, 1960), and Berkeley Law (1963). As a young lawyer at the California Attorney General's office, he met his future wife, Marion. She was a court reporter on one of his cases, but he was careful not to ask her out until the trial was over. Ken was later a partner at Quan, Cohen, Kurahashi, Hsieh & Scholtz in Los Angeles. A highlight of his career was arguing a First Amendment case before the United States Supreme Court in 1972.

He was a patient and gentle father to his three children, with whom he played catch, went on neighborhood walks, scouting trips, drove for hours on family road trips, and laughed at their jokes. In recent years he was a proud and devoted grandpa, spending hours reading to his two grandsons on weekly calls.

He adored music of all genres, especially baroque, classical and jazz. In his middle years, he played recorder at early music gatherings. Later, he joined the Oceanaires barbershop chorus, where he sang lead, served as president, and organized in-person singing quartets for Valentine's Day. He was also a keen amateur music theorist, and studied and wrote about the mathematical underpinnings of music.

Ken and Marion's love of dancing began at the Red Ribbons Square Dance Club (now Ribbons & Souls) and flourished in the world of ballroom dancing where they participated in regional competitions and taught on cruise ships. Anytime there was music, especially a live band, they got up to dance.

Ken and Marion traveled widely on their own and through Elderhostel, group trips with friends, and countryside walking tours. They visited six continents. Highlights included tango lessons in Argentina, a train journey across India, an African safari, and many visits to Paris.

Kenneth is survived by his loving wife of 59 years, Marion; his brother Richard (Helen); his children Matthew (Aubri), Brian (Mindy), and Wendy (Paul); and his grandchildren Jerome and Jasper. He was preceded in death by his parents, Sylvia and Walter Scholtz, and his sister Susan.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to World Central Kitchen. We also invite you to sing a song in Ken's honor.