Eric Platt Schaffhausen

Eric Schaffhausen was born in New York City at the French Hospital. He spent his first years in Manhattan and moved with his family to Dobbs Ferry, New York, on the Hudson River.

Eric’s secondary education was at the Hackley School in Tarrytown NY.

Eric continued his education at McGill University, Montreal, where he served his fraternity Zeta Psi as social chair and brought in Lester Lanin and his orchestra for one of their parties. Eric moved on to Tulane University in New Orleans.  He had a fondness for French seaport cities.  

He graduated with honors from Temple University completing his studies in history and art history. While at Temple, Eric was invited into the Phi Beta Kappa Society.

Eric served in the army twice.  Shortly after finishing his basic training, he was honorably discharged on March 4, 1964, due to the death of his father, Joseph Schaffhausen.  Keeping his agreement with his enlistment officer, he completed his service and was honorably discharged on the second day of June 1967, from the 107th regiment, NYARNG.

Eric was initiated into the Exclusive Order of Juneu Icecap Explorers by Captain Robert Reynolds, Pilot, Flight 141.  Eric crossed the Artic Circle and landed at Point Barrow n the 14^th day of August 1960.

Eric was certified as a qualified scuba diver by the Aqua Lung School of New York on January 3, 1973.

Eric briefly worked in the stock market and moved on to retail and then manufacturing of French women’s ready to wear.  He and his first wife traveled extensively throughout France to find the perfect fit for the New York, Chicago, Detroit, Philadelphia, and West Coast markets.  He later worked as plant manager and then marketing director at a 7UP bottling company, finishing his career at Skyline Displays at age 70.

Moving to Bedminster, PA in the 1970’s, Eric took up flying lessons. He was instrument rated as well as licensed to fly gliders at Van Sant airport in Tinicum.  This was his second greatest love, his first was the farm where he had worked from his 9^th year to his last, keeping the strips between the fields tidy with a 1949 Farmall H tractor, and happily seeing to perpetual farm maintenance.

An active participant in the township, he served his community first as Chairman of the Bedminster Planning Commission, and later as Chairman of the Bedminster Township Supervisors. In both positions, he worked tirelessly with his colleagues to maintain the farmland and scenic areas in Bedminster Township.  Eric was recognized for his service from August of 1977 to June of 2011 by the current Board of Bedminster Supervisors on October 12, 2011.

Eric was vice president of the Bedminster Historical Society and worked as a member of the Bedminster Bicentennial Committee in 1976.

Eric served on the Bucks County Community College Foundation Board from August 1977 through June, 2011.    During that period, he also served as co-chair for the Tyler Restoration Committee, 2010-2011.

He is survived by his wife, Bernadette Reilly Schaffhausen, Christopher Cook and his wife Dawn, Norman Cook and his wife Michelle, Jeremy Cook, Andrew Cook and his wife Erika; nine grandchildren, Norman Archer Cook the III and wife Anine;  Tyler Devlin Cook and his wife Christina, Alexandra Cook, Blaise Cook and his wife Alexis, Kirstin Cook, Jeremy Castro Cook, Lacey Cook Simpkins and her husband, Tyler; Sarah Jewel Cook; Starr Melody Cook; and 6 greatgrandchildren, Jaila Lombardo, Paxton Cook, Blake Michelle Cook, Ava Jean Cook, Angelica Eve Cook, and Graham Simpkins

In England, Eric is survived by sister Caroline and brother-in-law Peter Tyrrell; a niece, Arabella, and Nick Simpson; two nephews, Simon and Abi Tyrrell, Alistair and Sarah Tyrrell, and eight great nieces and nephews, Lox, Poppy, Robin, Tian Tyrrell, Charlie, Hugo, Archie Tyrrell, William Simpson.

He will be missed.