Walter Schey

1933 - 2021

Walter Martin Schey
April 30, 1933 - February 18, 2021
Walter Martin Schey of Piedmont passed away peacefully at home at the age of 87 on February 18, 2021, following his beloved wife Monika in death nearly three years to the day. Walt was born in Berlin, Germany on April 30, 1933, to Jewish parents Sigmund and Jenny Schey during the rise of the Third Reich. His father succeeded in getting the family out to Russia before emigrating them to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in 1939. Walt grew up in the Squirrel Hill community of Pittsburgh and attended the Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie Mellon) where he earned a B.S. in Chemical Engineering in 1955. Walt also served his country as a pilot in the US Air Force, honorably discharged in 1963. Upon completing his legal education at UC Berkeley School of Law in 1961, Walt took a fellowship in Munich where he met his beautiful bride, Monika and they began a sweet courtship. Monika eventually followed him back to San Francisco, where they were married in 1963 and subsequently moved to Oakland. They relocated to Piedmont in 1975, where they raised two children: Martin (PHS Class of 1988) and Juliet (PHS Class of 1993). Walt had a long and respectable law career spanning nearly 60 years, unofficially retiring in 2019. The truth is, he never stopped practicing in the profession, as he genuinely loved what he did for a living. Walt was active in the Piedmont community and served two terms on the Piedmont City Council from 1988 to 1996. He also served as the Vice-Mayor, sharing in the planning and creation of the Coaches Playfield in Moraga Canyon. Walt was not one for lavish spending, but he would shell out a little extra to take a great European trip or enjoy a delicious meal and have a fine glass of wine, especially in the cherished company of family or friends. He was a life-long reader of spy novels and religiously pored over the weekly Barron's magazine for investment news to aid his diligent study of the stock market. Weekends often found Walt outside, as he loved to sit in the sun to read. Walt was a great story-teller, who relished in reciting a mischievous joke and particularly mastered the art of making an eloquent toast. Both of Walt and Monika's children followed in his footsteps into the legal profession and his son Martin joined him in his law practice, forming the Schey & Schey partnership that lasted over 20 years. As Walt and Monika's children married and started their own families, Walt took great pride in his wonderful children-in-law and five gorgeous grandchildren. Walter is survived by his family: son Martin and daughter-in-law Shonnon along with their children, Samantha and Connor, all of Piedmont; his daughter Juliet and her husband, Michael Meinert, along with their three children, Robbie, Schey and Molly, who reside in Alamo. He is preceded in death by his wife and parents. A private memorial will be held, but a more public celebration of life will be planned at a later date when conditions allow.