RICHARD SCOBIE

1934 - 2023

SCOBIE, Richard UUSC Executive Director and Social Work Activist Richard Spencer "Dick" Scobie, Ph. D., 88, of Waltham, formerly of Wellesley and Newton, died from complications of congestive heart failure on February 1, 2023. Born in 1934, in Detroit, Michigan, he was the only child of the late LaReine (Kreis) and Howard K. Scobie. Dick is survived by his wife of over 64 years, Cynthia (Jill) Hirst Scobie, by three sons, and three daughters: Kenneth Scobie (Frances Mellen), Kevin Scobie, Megan Scobie (Jack Carberry), Allison Scobie-Carroll (Amy Scobie-Carroll), Bradford Scobie (Chase Tyler), Rachel Scobie (James Wendell), as well as George Lloyd (Juliana Pires). He was "Papi" (grandfather) to Matthew Sacchi (Emily Johnson), Annmarie Harkins (Matthew Harkins), Elizabeth and Patrick Carberry, Griffin Lloyd, Henry Tyler-Scobie, and Annabelle Tyler-Scobie. He was also "Papi" (great-grandfather) to Amelia and Lila Harkins, and Maisie Sacchi. He leaves behind beloved cousins, Russell Kreis (Barbara Kreis), Susie Kreis, Nancy Kreis Newman (Steve Newman), Sandy Gibson, Chrystal Kreis Mooreland (Harry Thomas), LaReine Andres, Suzie Read (Reggie Read), and Martha Hirst. He is also survived by his sister-in-law, Annmary Hirst Petter; niece, Jennifer Petter (Catherine Geiger); nephews, Steven Petter (Randi Petter), Timothy Petter (Lyssa Petter), and Mark Petter (Tina Jarvis); nieces, Jennifer Hirst Fredenburg and Charlene Hirst Wark; and seven great-nieces, and six great-nephews. His extended family also included Suzi, John, and Max Ater, Liz, John, and Kristina Sacchi, and Kelly Donahue Petter. He was predeceased by his brothers-in-law, J. Harrison Petter and Michael H. Hirst; as well by his cousin, William Kreis, M.D. When Dick was nine, his father became the chief fundraiser for the United Way in Philadelphia, so the family moved to Havertown, PA. A graduate of Haverford Township High School, Dick attended Dartmouth College where he joined Phi Sigma Kappa fraternity, becoming president, and played trumpet with the Barbary Coast jazz band (so Kenton). The most important event of his college years was playing a pivotal role in getting his fraternity, whose norms and bylaws were racist and anti-Semitic, to separate from the national fraternity; thus was Phi Tau brought into existence. Next, he attended the University of Pittsburgh School of Social Work, earning his MSW in June 1958, the same month in which he married his college sweetheart, Jill (Hirst) Scobie. That fall he entered the Army as a 2nd Lieutenant, a three and a half-year commitment, spent at Fort Hood, Texas. Dick, Jill and their three children relocated to Boston for Dick's first job at the United Community Services. Approximately two years later, he moved on to his next professional endeavor, working on integrating public housing developments for the Boston Housing Authority. Hungry for international experience, Dick, Jill, and their now four children moved to Buenos Aires where Dick worked for USAID, assisting in housing development. Returning to Boston with five children in 1969, Dick undertook his doctoral studies to obtain his Ph.D. in 1972 from Brandeis (the Florence Heller School for Advanced Studies in Social Welfare). Child number six was born the day after he was awarded the aforementioned degree. And his wife gave him his first bagpipe as his graduation gift. In April of 1972, Dick got his "dream" job as the Executive Director of the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee. Under his direction, the UUSC worked to advance justice by defending human rights and promoting humane solutions to social problems both worldwide (El Salvador, Nicaragua, Haiti, Sudan, Eritrea, India, the Philippines, Chiapas, etc.) and domestically, focusing on issues of child welfare and mass incarceration. He understood that a small organization like the Service Committee would have more impact on the world stage if it focused on issues rather than projects, through grassroots action across the United States, policy advocacy in Washington D.C., and direct support of program partners abroad. An example of the leveraging of its influence occurred in the late '70s: UUSC organized congressional fact-finding delegations to Central America to counter U.S. foreign policy which supported repressive elements in Nicaragua and El Salvador. International programs also supported local organizations devoted to women's health and reproductive rights, human rights, and sustainable development that benefits the poor. Partnerships were developed with about 30 UU congregations wherein participants agreed to either work on issues around Central America or to volunteer their support for the Promise the Children Advocacy Network. All in all, he hoped to define UUSC as a human rights organization and to develop programs that either directly tried to change policy or helped to empower other people to address problems or injustice and work for social change. He was an organizer, an administrator, and an activist, yet in addition to wanting to "save" the world, he also wanted to savor it. While he was still working he camped with his family, camped at "Man Camp," played his pipes with the Clan Sutherland, sang with the Potluck Singers and Mustard Seed Singers, played and sang with the Recent, Decent Few, reveled in his family's myriad of activities, attended the Ferry Beach (U-U) Family and Friends Conference, was a member of the Church of the Wider Fellowship, the Greater Boston Independent Worship Group, and the Wellesley Friends Meeting (Quaker). In his retirement, he played and sang with Woodwork, took up watercolor painting, continued his years of wonderful reading and discussing with the Pierian Springers book group, camped some more, played trumpet with the Two Tones, occasionally sailed, was an enthusiastic member of the Ferry Beach/Family and Friends writers group, read endless enormous tomes, volunteered with and, for three years, was the President of WATCH (Waltham Association To Create Housing), played with the WATCH Jazz Group, and rode out the pandemic with the Film Critics Zoom Circle, which included his wife, two of his daughters, and three of his grandchildren. He made so many good friends and sustained relationships from every era and activity of his life. In 1998, he was awarded the degree of Doctor of Humane Letters by Meadville Theological School Of Lombard College (AKA Meadville/Lombard), and in 2000 he was the recipient of the Lifetime Achievement award, given by the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Association of Social Workers. Dick was so grateful for all the love and support he received across the years from family and friends. And he was also very mindful of the the excellent medical care he received during the 29 years when he became ill intermittently with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and CLL. Thank you, Dr. Barker, Dr. Vishnofsky, Dr. Goldberg, Dr. Kumar, Dr. Ray, all the wonderful nurses at the Harvard Vanguard Kenmore Oncology unit and Angela Ashby, Katherine Rice-Latham, and Andrea Ciciarelli for decades of care. But most hearty, thank you to Dr. Roberta Falke and RN Pam MacDonald. Gracias a la Vida, que nos ha dado tanto! Thanks be to Life, which has given us so much! On Saturday, May 6, 2023, at 2:00 P.M., there will be a celebration of Dick's life at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Wellesley Hills, 309 Washington Street (Rte. 16), Wellesley Hills, MA 02481, followed by a reception. In lieu of flowers, consider contributing to the Richard S. Scobie Endowment Fund at the UUSC, 689 Massachusetts Avenue, Cambridge, MA 02139-3302, to Ferry Beach Conference Center, 5 Boardwalk Drive, Saco, Maine 04072, to Wellesley Friends Meeting, 26 Benvenue Street, Wellesley, MA 02482, or to WATCH, 24 Crescent Street, Suite 20, Waltham, MA 02453.

View the online memorial for Richard SCOBIE