Olive Annette Scheff Rauscher, age 100,  affectionately known as “Merle”, passed away on May 17, 2022, in St Charles, MO and was the daughter of the late William Newell and Nellie Gamache Newell, born on March 7, 1922 in St Louis, MO.  It is a mystery today how she attained that name since her Normandy High School diploma in St. Louis lists her as Olive Annette Newell. When asked how she got the name Merle, since no one else in the family had that name, she responded, “I guess everyone thought it was a better name than Olive. Everyone always called me Merle.” She married Francis B. Schiff in 1942, who was a graduate of St. Louis University and subsequently enlisted in the US Navy during World War II. At some time in the late 1940’s, the family name was legally changed from Schiff to Scheff. 

Merle’s mother enrolled her into the Clendenon Dance Studio when she was very young and dance became her career. At age 14, she taught dance in her house while she continued to take more lessons herself. She continued to teach dance all throughout her high school years and was a prominent feature performer in many dance recitals in the St. Louis area.  Among her many other talents were piano, painting and art, along with horseback riding. In 1941, she was crowned Miss St. Louis. During WWII, Merle used her extraordinary dancing talents to support and entertain the troops, and also to sell War Bonds. Following the war, she and Francis started a family, but she continued to teach dancing. Eventually she opened the Merle Scheff School of Dance in the St. Louis area which grew in size and popularity. Merle taught hundreds of students with many becoming professional theatrical dancers. Her recitals were epic and often ran for three nights. Among her accomplishments was the fact that at one time, she was the president of the Dance Masters of America organization. 

After Merle and Francis parted ways, she married Adolf “Cap” Rauscher and they eventually moved to Sanibel Island, FL. Since teaching dance was her life, she started a dance class in the Big Arts Center on Sanibel Island.  It was a big draw for many of the seniors who vacationed there during the winter. The “Sanibel Steppers” performed in many shows at the Big Arts.  After Adolf passed, she continued to live in Sanibel and began making beautiful miniature dollhouse rooms.  She always had visitors and the neighbors knew her to be a great “party girl”.  No matter how bad she felt, she always smiled because ‘the show had to go on’.  Everyone on Sanibel knew of Merle and her little toy poodles that accompanied her everywhere. Among many other notable attributes is the fact that she was a breast cancer survivor.

Merle always stood behind her sons, who could do no wrong in her eyes. It didn’t make any difference if it was an automobile altercation, an untimely medical situation, or even a school disciplinary problem, she was right there to “defend” her boys. She was preceded in death by her parents as well as brothers, Charles and George.  She basically outlived almost everyone in the family including her first husband Francis and her second husband Adolf.  Survivors include her sons Ronald (Marilyn) Newark, DE, Stephen (Suzanne) Lexington, KY and Theodore (Jeannine) Lake St Louis, MO and 9 grandchildren and 22 great grandchildren. She will be greatly missed by family and friends. No service will take place. 

The family would like to express a special “thank you” to the staff of Delmar Gardens of O’Fallon, SSM Hospital and Hospice and Mount Carmel Senior Living for all of the loving care they provided Merle.  We also ask that if anyone wishes to honor Merle’s memory, to please  consider a donation to the Gulf Coast Humane Society, 2010 Arcadia St., Fort Myers, FL  33916 or the J.N. “Ding” Darling National Wildlife Refuge, 1 Wildlife Drive, Sanibel, FL 33957

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