JW Scercy

JW “Pete” Scercy passed away at home on October 21, 2026, at the age of 92. Pete was born on August 13, 1934, in Charlotte, NC to Samuel Nolan Scercy and Mertie Lewis Scercy, the youngest of 13 children. His mother passed away a few days after his birth, and he was raised by his sister Daisy “Polly” Scercy Cox and her husband Johnny Marvin “Bud” Cox.

He is survived by his wife of 70 years, Nancy Knotts Scercy, their daughter Connie Scercy Wood, son David Michael Scercy and his wife Suzanne Scercy, and daughter Jeannie Scercy Benfield.

Pete is also survived by five grandchildren, Rachel Wood, Buck Scercy, Jeremy Scercy, Sam Benfield, Annie Perkins and her husband Guy Perkins. He was also blessed with and survived by three great-grandchildren, Henry, Peter, and Alice Perkins.

Pete attended Charlotte schools and graduated from East Mecklenburg High School in 1953. He played both football and baseball in school and often teamed up with his nephew and close friend, Bob Johnston.

Pete was a postal clerk for the US Post Office and retired in 1991. During his retirement, he started a part-time lawn mowing business, The Lawn Ranger, mowing lawns for friends and neighbors and maintaining the church ball fields.

For the vast majority of his life, Pete would take a long walk every day, oftentimes with a dog alongside. When not out and about, he loved to read westerns and had a huge collection of Louis L’Amour books, spanning multiple bookshelves.

A lover of the outdoors, Pete enjoyed hunting rabbits, squirrels, and deer. He and his son Mike raised beagles and enjoyed letting them run rabbits through the woods and listening to them howl. He could pick out each voice from the pack by name. He and his wife Nancy maintained a house at Oak Island for many years, where they loved surf fishing with friends and family.

Pete is probably best remembered for coaching. He primarily coached boys baseball: little league, pony league and colt league for Hickory Grove United Methodist Church. He also coached men and women in softball, and he coached boys and girls in basketball for the church. He was active on the church Recreation Committee for many years. He also played on the men’s softball team, earning the nickname “Flamingo” for the way he ran the bases. His coaching style was one of immense dignity and respect for all of those he taught, no matter their age. He will be remembered for coaching for more than 40 years and touching countless lives, young and old.

Pete Scercy lived a life of grace and showed his love for God in his everyday life. He was the kindest, gentlest man anyone could ever find. He put his love for God, family, and friends above all else.

A Celebration of Life will take place Tuesday, October 27, 2026 at Hickory Grove United Methodist Church at 6401 Hickory Grove Road, Charlotte, NC 28215. A reception will be held in the Trinity Room at 1:00pm with the service to start at 2:30pm, to be officiated by Caitlin Lai.

The service will be livestreamed at https://tinyurl.com/JWScercyService on Youtube and Facebook.

Anyone who ever played on one of his teams is invited by the family to attend as an Honorary Pallbearer.

If you would like to honor Pete’s memory, “do a kindness” for someone around you.