WEST ORANGE, N.J.—He was an outstanding salesman, entrepreneur, author, train enthusiast and political pundit. To his legion of friends and colleagues, he was a diminutive dynamo who set high standards and exceeded them. Arthur Scher spent more than six decades in the floor covering industry and five years in retirement when, on June 17, he died peacefully at his home here in West Orange Gardens. He was 86.

Known as Artie to his friends, he was born Jan. 5, 1923, in Paterson, N.J., and later the family moved to Passaic, N.J., where he attended high school. In 1940, working after school, the teenager’s very first job was as an office boy with a local floor covering distributor, Jersey Carpet Corp.

After two years, his talents and his commitment were rewarded with a promotion to the Sales Service Department, where he remained until the outbreak of WWII when he enlisted in the U.S. Coast Guard.

In 1945, he was discharged from military service and returned to Jersey Carpet’s Sales Service Department and soon became head of the section. He enjoyed what he was doing and decided to further his education in order to advance in the business world. He attended night classes at Fairleigh Dickinson University in Rutherford, N.J., and graduated with a business degree. Soon his desire to become a salesman was realized at Jersey Carpet and after setting several company sales records, he was named sales manager of its Armstrong Resilient Division and then sales manager of its Carpet Division.

In 1967, he was recruited by Solly Gershon, vice president of sales for Mand Carpet Mills (Royalweave), as the West Coast mill’s eastern sales manager. Gershon, who developed a 40-year friendship with Scher, called him “the consummate carpet professional.” He explained, “Artie was the most organized and fully prepared salesperson I have ever worked with. He had a passion for his work and the industry and was totally dedicated to his dealer and distributor networks and the people he cared for. He made many longtime friendships with people who admired and respected him for the man that he was.”

After nine years with Mand, Scher joined WestPoint Pepperell as eastern sales manager for its Distributor Division. He remained at that post until 1989, when he left and two years later formed Scher Enterprises, a sales agency, in Clifton, N.J. The business grew and prospered and he enjoyed the success, but in 2004, at age 81, he retired.

He kept himself occupied during his retirement, reading more and becoming more passionate about politics and religion. He would quote scripture and preach justice and love and became morally outraged by the genocide in Darfur and endangered children around the world. He was dedicated to causes with the unflagging enthusiasm he brought to the workplace and to his personal life. “It didn’t matter if it was work, play, music, politics, religion, jokes, cars, favorite drink, favorite restaurant, people he liked and people he didn’t—Artie was always totally committed,” said Gershon.

Scher wrote two books that received wide acclaim: “136 Ideas to Increase Your Retail Floor Covering Business” and “Retail Ideas: 101—Firing Up Your Profitability.” His more than six decades of working with retailers and helping them improve sales provided the experience he shared with the industry. “He authored two successful books on retailing and trained hundreds of salespeople everywhere. He never feared taking a position on any subject and standing up for what he believed,” said Gershon.

Scher was a political activist, often contacting members of Congress and local government officials. But he made time for fun. He built a special room to house his model trains with hundreds of feet of track, tunnels, bridges, billboards, hills and dales and all the paraphernalia that completed the scene.

He was also an accomplished drummer and, at some of the industry conventions, he would be coaxed to join the band and take the drum sticks. He impressed many audiences with his musical talent and professionalism. “Artie will be remembered as the Eternal Optimist, a true enthusiast and one of the best of a special breed of floor covering professionals, said Gershon. “He had a great love for his family, the carpet industry, his many friends and for life. He lived it well and enriched the lives of so many of us along the way.”

Survivors include a son, Andrew, his wife, Joanne, and three grandchildren, Brendan, Andie and Taylor, all of Mount Clair, N.J. Scher’s wife, Norma, died in 1979.