1914
Elizabeth
2009
Elizabeth Usher-Scar
July 20, 1914 — June 16, 2009
Elizabeth Usher-Scar, 94, former Chief Librarian of the Metropolitan Museum of Art Thomas J. Watson Library in New York City, died on June 16, 2009, at St. Luke's East Hospital in Lee's Summit, Mo.
Mrs. Usher is survived by her second husband, William Arthur Scar, whom she married in 1992, after the death of Harry Usher in 1990, by a sister, Guiomar Barth of John Knox Village, a brother, Robert Reuter of Charlotte, North Carolina, and nieces and nephews and extended family. Born in Seward, Neb., Mrs. Usher received a BS in Education in 1942 at the University of Nebraska and a masters in Library Science from the University of Illinois in 1944. She received an honorary Doctor of Letters from Concordia University in 1981. After a year as an assistant librarian at Michigan State University, she became librarian of Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield, Mich. In 1948, Mrs. Usher began her 32 year love affair with New York City and with the Metropolitan Museum of Art, joining the museums' art reference library staff as a librarian in 1948. One and a half years later, on Feb. 25, 1950, she married Harry Thomas Usher Jr. After several promotions, Mrs. Usher served as Chief of the Art Reference Library from 1961-1968 and Chief Librarian of the Thomas J. Watson Library from 1968 until her retirement. Mrs. Usher loved the glamour and excitement of the Metropolitan and enjoyed helping Spencer Tracy, Katherine Hepburn, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and others with their research. A new chapter for Mrs. Usher began when she and her husband moved to Heritage Village in 1982, where she served as President of the community library, and volunteered with the community ambulance association, the Republican Club, the Heritage Village Singers, and the PEO. An avid golfer, Mrs. Usher continued to play the game until last year.
A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, June 24, at Calvary Lutheran Church, 7500 Oak Street, Kansas City, Mo.
Memorials contributions may be made to Concordia University, Paul and Elsa Reuter Endowment Fund, Office of Development, 800 N. Columbia Avenue, Seward, NE 68434-9979. Arrangements: D.W. Newcomer's Sons Johnson County Chapel, 11200 Metcalf, Overland Park, KS 66210 (913) 451-1860.
Mrs. Usher is survived by her second husband, William Arthur Scar, whom she married in 1992, after the death of Harry Usher in 1990, by a sister, Guiomar Barth of John Knox Village, a brother, Robert Reuter of Charlotte, North Carolina, and nieces and nephews and extended family. Born in Seward, Neb., Mrs. Usher received a BS in Education in 1942 at the University of Nebraska and a masters in Library Science from the University of Illinois in 1944. She received an honorary Doctor of Letters from Concordia University in 1981. After a year as an assistant librarian at Michigan State University, she became librarian of Cranbrook Academy of Art in Bloomfield, Mich. In 1948, Mrs. Usher began her 32 year love affair with New York City and with the Metropolitan Museum of Art, joining the museums' art reference library staff as a librarian in 1948. One and a half years later, on Feb. 25, 1950, she married Harry Thomas Usher Jr. After several promotions, Mrs. Usher served as Chief of the Art Reference Library from 1961-1968 and Chief Librarian of the Thomas J. Watson Library from 1968 until her retirement. Mrs. Usher loved the glamour and excitement of the Metropolitan and enjoyed helping Spencer Tracy, Katherine Hepburn, Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis and others with their research. A new chapter for Mrs. Usher began when she and her husband moved to Heritage Village in 1982, where she served as President of the community library, and volunteered with the community ambulance association, the Republican Club, the Heritage Village Singers, and the PEO. An avid golfer, Mrs. Usher continued to play the game until last year.
A memorial service will be held at 10:30 a.m. Wednesday, June 24, at Calvary Lutheran Church, 7500 Oak Street, Kansas City, Mo.
Memorials contributions may be made to Concordia University, Paul and Elsa Reuter Endowment Fund, Office of Development, 800 N. Columbia Avenue, Seward, NE 68434-9979. Arrangements: D.W. Newcomer's Sons Johnson County Chapel, 11200 Metcalf, Overland Park, KS 66210 (913) 451-1860.
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