USA East Music BULLETIN - WINTER 2019/20 - ISSUE 4 | Page 3

THOMAS WILLIAM SCHEIBNER
(August 5, 1955 - February 5, 2020)
w as born in Hackensack, New Jersey to
William Alfred Scheibner and Florence
Amelia Scheibner (Nicholls). He was raised
in Clifton, New Jersey, where he started his
early education at Public School #11 and
continued all the way through to Clifton
High School. Tom was a proud member of
the Mustang Marching Band and had fond
memories of travelling to Europe multiple
times to perform with the group.
Tom first came to the Salvation Army
at the age of 14, when he attended Star
Lake Music Camp in 1969. His private brass
teacher JoAnn Christen had encouraged him
to attend. He spent five years as a camper,
playing baritone, euphonium, and eventually
trombone. By 1974, he was asked to serve on
the instruction staff, which he continued to
do every year of his life from that point on
(over 50 years!).
Tom had expressed his connection to Star
Lake and its meaning in his life quite clearly:
“I wouldn’t be where I am today as Assistant
Territorial Music Secretary of the Salvation
Army’s USA Eastern Territory had it not been
for attending Star Lake Musicamp in 1969.
That experience changed the course of my
life completely… This enabled me to follow
the Lord’s leading into a career of music-
making and teaching.”
The Salvation Army Eastern Territory has
benefited from Tom’s leadership and active
service. Joining the Music Department
under Charles Baker in 1983, he has given
unstintingly throughout 37 years of service
and employment. He loved his job, and one
of the responsibilities he enjoyed most was
teaching music to the cadets at the College
for Officer Training. He has also been a
member of the New York Staff Band for 42
years and has helped organize the Eastern
Territory’s Salvationist Star Search Talent
Display since 1984.
Tom’s academic training in music saw him
gain the Bachelor of Arts in Music from Drew
University (Madison, NJ) with additional
course work undertaken at Boston and New
York Universities. Tom has been fully involved
at his local corps, Montclair Citadel, leading
the corps songsters for 25 years (1994 to
present), and even taught the YP Band for 14
years.
Some of Tom’s favorite past times
included playing sports, including basketball
in his younger years and golf. He greatly
enjoyed watching sports and was one of the
most loyal fans the Giants and the Yankees
ever had.
Not least, he has a loving family, being
married to Charlene for 34 years. He is also
survived by his daughters Caryn, Christine,
and Courtney, his sons-in-law Zack, Nicolas,
and Ryan, and his four grandchildren, Micah,
Parker, Jonah, and Caleb. ■