Walter Lowe Scott Jr.'s Obituary
Walter Lowe Scott, Jr. – “Walt” (but never Wally or Scotty) to his wife and friends – died peacefully on Saturday, August 9th in Leesburg, Virginia. He would have been 90 years young on his next birthday this fall.
He was born in the right front bedroom of his parents’ home on Merline Avenue in Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio in October, 1924, the only child of Walter and Gertrude (Maier) Scott. This would be Walter, Jr.’s home for the next eighteen years. He was born club-footed and wore leg braces until he was three years old, which corrected this problem.
During the 1930’s, he wore shirts, pants and sweaters patched in various places. Money was short and there were many arguments between his Mom and Dad over funds. This caused Walter, Jr. to develop a generally frugal approach to living as well as a strong desire for peace in the home.
Walter, Jr. attended public schools in the area and thought himself an average student. Like all the boys in northeast Ohio, he played a lot of sandlot games but didn’t participate in organized sports until 10th grade when he went out for the high school basketball team. He graduated from Cuyahoga Falls High School in June 1942. Without any serious vocational goals, he accepted a basketball recruiter’s invitation to attend Hiram College. He lettered in basketball there, but his Hiram days came to an end in March 1943 when he was drafted into the U.S. Army.
He entered the Army at Fort Hayes in Columbus, Ohio and took basic training at Greensboro, North Carolina. Thereafter, he was assigned engineering classwork at the University of Maryland and subsequently tank engine repair courses at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds near Chesapeake Bay. Walt was detailed to a tank repair battalion and sent to Texarkana, Texas for field training. He and his battalion were deployed to the Philippines in March, 1945. Arriving in Manila to live artillery fire and dead Japanese soldiers, Walt’s battalion fortunately never encountered any real combat resistance. He was honorably discharged at Camp Atterbury, Indiana in March 1946 with a rank of Staff Sergeant.
Upon returning to civilian life, Walt immediately enrolled at Kent State University. Deciding on a course of study that Kent didn’t offer, he transferred to Akron University to study mechanical engineering. He was an active student on campus, participating in the Theta Chi fraternity, the Student Council and, at six feet six inches tall, the Zips varsity basketball team. He graduated from Akron U. in June 1949.
Later that same month, Walt married Joan M. Jones of Stow, Ohio. They had four children, Marceil Ann, Terri Lynn, Randall and Jeffrey. They celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary this past June 25th.
Walt’s first job was as an industrial engineer with the Youngstown Sheet and Tube Company of Youngstown, Ohio and he eventually became the Hot Mill Supervisor in the company’s seamless pipe mill there. During this time he and Joan were also living in Youngstown and it was there their first three children were born. While making plans to purchase a larger home in nearby Poland, Ohio, Walt was named Assistant Superintendent of the company’s new seamless pipe mill in East Chicago, Indiana. The family relocated to suburban Chicago, moving into a house in Hammond, Indiana in 1957. They were living in Hammond when their fourth child was born.
Walt was named Seamless Mill Superintendent in 1960, overseeing all operations for a sprawling plant that employed upwards of 2,000 men. He remained in this role through the 60’s and 70’s despite several mergers and corporate consolidations typical of the U.S. manufacturing economy during this period. Youngstown Sheet and Tube eventually became part of Jones & Laughlin Steel and Walt was sufficiently confident to build a new custom home in Dyer, Indiana. Following a difference of opinion with senior management at J&L, he left for Republic Steel of South Chicago in 1981 only to see Republic be acquired by Jones & Laughlin a short time later.
Walt retired from the steel business in November 1983 and he and Joan moved to a newly-constructed waterfront condominium in Tarpon Springs, Florida. They enjoyed many years of boating, relaxing and seeing the country, friends and family while towing their new Coachmen travel trailer. These journeys were often for two to three months at a time and the thousands of miles traveling together were a golden time for Walt and Joan. Meanwhile, in 1990, they had joined the Crescent Oaks Country Club just up U.S. 19 from their home. There were many fun games at the club and it became the focus of their social lives while living on the Florida gulf coast.
Walt developed various health issues as his retirement years went by and he and Joan left Florida for Northern Virginia in 2007 to be closer to family. They moved into a beautiful condominium overlooking the 18th hole at the Lansdowne Resort in Leesburg. He had developed an interest in genealogy and tracing his family history became Walt’s no. 1 pursuit. His research was amazing, and his children and grandchildren marvel at the extent and detail of the family tree he catalogued.
He had other hobbies throughout his life, notably collecting coins and stamps. He was also the family paparazzi, with a meticulous photo collection of every event, noteworthy or otherwise, in the lives of his kids and his friends. He applied his intelligence and attention to detail to the game of bridge, and enjoyed tremendously the games with his “Fearsome Foursome” of friends: the Blahas, the Freudenbergs, the Allmans – and the Scotts. He loved the outdoors, and took his wife and kids on camping vacations all across the country.
Walt was raised in the Methodist denomination and faithfully attended church with his family during the years his children were growing up. He became a Mason upon becoming eligible, although he was unable to attend lodge meetings as much as he would have liked.
Walter, Jr. is survived by his beloved wife Joan, their four married children, eleven grandchildren (two married) and two great-grandchildren.
His memorial service will be held at 4:30pm on Saturday, August 30, 2014 at the Loudoun Funeral Chapel in Leesburg, Virginia (www.loudounfuneralchapel.com). There will be a family receiving line following the service.
The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be directed to the American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org/donate).
The family would also like to thank the people of Heritage Hall Healthcare and Rehabilitation Center, Spring Arbor Assisted Living Center, Golden Pond Elder Care and Blue Ridge Hospice for their wonderful care.
A true gentleman, Walt was a good man who lived a good long life. He took great pride in his family and loved each of them dearly. So while we mourn his loss, we celebrate his life.
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