Joan Boon Scott

Joan Boon Scott, 91 POWAY -- Joan Boon Scott, whose childhood, marriage and child-rearing years took her from a small Pittsburgh, Pa. suburb to World War II Southern California and suburban Chicago in the postwar boom years, and who later spent a long and happy retirement in the San Diego area, died Sunday, November 28, 2010in Poway. Mrs. Scott, the widow of the late Jack R. Scott, a retired colonel in the U.S. Marine Corps and a former vice-president of the United States Steel Corporation, had seven children, 17 grandchildren and three great- grandchildren. From her childhood in Edgewood, Pa., Mrs. Scott was involved in the landmark events of the 20th century. In her Depression household, all four daughters worked to help support the family. She traveled across the country by train, chaperoned by her mother, to marry then-2nd Lt. Scott before he shipped out for the South Pacific. Though the couple had decided not to marry before he left for war, Scott reconsidered when he got to the West Coast, sending the 23-year-old Joan Edna Boon a telegram that became family lore: "Come immediately: Object Matrimony." As a young wife and mother of Michael, the family's first-born, she followed news accounts of the First Marine Corps Division's landing on Guadalcanal, where her husband participated in some of the most intense combat of the Pacific war, and subsequent campaigns on Bougainville and Pelelieu. In the post-war years, the couple had six more children during Mr. Scott's career the United States Steel Corporation, primarily in Chicago. The family lived for decades in Wilmette, Ill. on the North Shore of Chicago. After Jack Scott died of cancer in 1978, Joan came to live with her identical twin, Jean Campbell of Poway, who survives her. Joan joined Jean's active social life within the retired Navy community in north San Diego County. Joan and Jean were frequent golfers at their home course, the Stoneridge Country Club and on golfing vacations. When they moved in together, the twins resumed a practice from their childhood and college years: They dressed in matching outfits. By then 65, both said neither one wanted to outshine the other. For nearly three decades years, the red-haired twins turned heads and elicited amused comments. After Jack's death, Joan continued to attend reunions of the 1941 USMC First Officers Candidate Class and remained devoted to the Corps. In the early 1980s, Joan and Jean began hosting an annual vacation week each June in Mission Bay for their children and grandchildren, a custom that continued through the mid-90s. Their children and grandchildren attribute much of their close-knit relationship to those San Diego vacations. In addition to her sister, Joan is survived by her children, Michael R. Scott (Nancy), of LaJolla, Nancy Scott Beren (Richard), of Seattle, Casey John Scott (Lisa) of Denver, Colo., Trish Egan (John) of Humble, Texas, Tracy Fairman (Dave) of Highland Park, Ill., and Kelly Scott of South Pasadena, Calif. Another daughter, Terry Jean, died in 1947. She also leaves her nephew, Bob Campbell of Point Loma, and Joan Patton of Pacific Beach. In lieu of flowers, the family suggests contributions to: The Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation US Steel Corporation: Jack R. Scott Memorial Scholarship~ www.mcsf.org 703-549-0060 or The Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund www.semperfifund.org Sign the Guest Book online obits.nctimes.com