Sue Scheff

Sue Scheff died peacefully in her home of 60 years in Tucson on August 23 with her daughter Lisa and son-in-law Sean at her side. Sue was born in 1937 in Bucks County Pennsylvania to Jim and Isabelle Hibbs, who were Hicksite Quakers. While she left the Quaker faith as an adult, she carried the values of peace and justice that she learned from them through her life, and remained part of the Quaker community when she moved to Tucson to care for Isabelle in the early 60s. She met Len (1934-2024), her husband of 60 years, when they were both involved in the landmark Supreme Court case Elfbrandt v. Russell, overturning the anti-communist loyalty oath for public school teachers. Len was part of the legal team and Sue cooked for the community that gathered to support the Elfbrandts as their case made its way to the high court. She discovered she loved cooking for groups and opened The Scrumptuary, a popular restaurant on the U of A campus featuring a seasonal prix fixe menu, in 1974. The Scrumptuary closed when the landlord closed the space a few years later, and she opened The Tasting Spoon, a cooking school, which she ran for several years before establishing Sous Chef Catering, a Tucson institution for over 30 years.

Another longstanding passion was the Sonoran Desert. She became a docent at the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum in the early 80s and volunteered weekly for almost 40 years. She loved all animals and rescued any stray that crossed her path. Her kind, generous, and loyal spirit was treasured by all who knew her.

Sue is survived by her daughters, Lisa Scheff (husband Sean Murphy) and Stacy Scheff, her beloved niece Betsy Chacón, and her faithful companion cat Kali.

A celebration of life will take place on October 19, 2025 in Tucson. For details, please contact Lisa, LisaScheff@protonmail.com. Donations in Sue's honor can be made to the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum and The Hermitage Cat Sanctuary.