Ira Sanford Schugar

Ira Schugar (November 29, 1941 – June 17, 2023) was many things: a passionate golfer, an unlikely world traveler, a self-proclaimed ice-cream aficionado and a true friend to many. A native of Pittsburgh, he graduated from Duquesne University in 1963 and had a series of jobs before finding his true calling in Personnel Development Training at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Beverly Hills, California. After a successful career there, Ira retired to his home in Cary, NC.

The last ten years of his life, Ira spent his time golfing, traveling, and living his best life with his love, Lynn Walker. Ira and Lynn built a happy life together in which they shared a love of food (he cooked, she ate), world travel (she chose the countries, he happily tagged along) and golf. On August 2, 2015, he scored a hole in one on the Magnolia course in Pinewild. For his birthday last year Lynn gave Ira his dream which was a round of golf, with a caddy on the Pinehurst #2 course. In addition to golf, Ira loved cars, especially his Nissan Z.

Those who knew Ira understood that he was a man of great contradictions. He hated a mess but loved Jazz intensely. He would drive twenty miles out of his way to save a few cents per gallon on gas. He loved cashmere with the same zeal he felt for Costco. Ira had more than his fair share of bumps and detours in his life, but had, in the last ten years, found the life and the partner he had been looking for. He was a man who meant what he said, kept his word and could be counted on.

Now that he’s gone, his adopted family has many questions for him. Specifically: how many microfiber towels does one man need? Didn’t he think that three 16-ounce jars of powdered black garlic was enough? (Because we found four!) When Ira loved something, you knew it. And we knew it. Peter, Beth, Emily, Eric, Brian, and Ava knew it. And most importantly Lynn knew it. Ira, you were a gift to us these last ten years. Thank you for the beautiful journey that you shared with us. We will remember you on your birthday, we will laugh when we share memories of you, and we will lift our Blizzards in a toast at every Dairy Queen we visit.

Ira Schugar is survived by his brother Phillip Schugar of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, his devoted friends, and his partner in life, love and happiness, Lynn Walker and her family.