William Scheide, the Princeton philanthropist whose fields of expertise included music and rare books and manuscripts, died Friday morning. He was 100.

Mr. Scheide’s generosity in recent years included the sponsorship of annual orchestral concerts that raised funds for such beneficiaries as the Princeton Public Library, the Princeton Recreation Department, Westminster Choir College of Rider University, Isles, Centurion Ministries, and the Arts Council of Princeton.

He played a crucial part in the establishment of the NAACP Legal Defense and Education Fund. He established the Scheide Library at Princeton University, from which he graduated in 1936, and the collection includes musical manuscripts by Bach, a 14th century Magna Carta, and a first edition of Milton’s Paradise Lost. 

“This is a huge loss for Princeton University and the town of Princeton,” said Karin Trainer, Princeton University librarian. “People always talk about the treasures in the Scheide Library, but the reality is that the real treasure was Bill himself.”

An extensive story about Mr. Scheide will appear in the Wednesday, November 19 edition of Town Topics.