Scott Willison

1959 - 2016

Scott Willison
1959 ~ 2016
Scott Willison was born March 29, 1959, in Indianapolis, Indiana, to Barbara and Robert Willison. He was raised in Nineveh, Brown County, a beautiful place that escaped the glacier that scraped the northern part of the state clean. It is wild and wooded and undeveloped. Scott's "path through the woods" led to Camp Palawopec, a camp based on the Native Americans' reverence for the earth. There, his paternal friend, Mike Nickels, welcomed him into a council-fire of responsibility and adventure for the next 16 summers.
Camp was where he grew his wings, where he first affected so many lives. Scott loved the showman. He defended the underdog. He was both. He was a big kid and a kid magnet, striking a bond with anyone who was attracted to his open, positive attitude. And he had a goofy, persistent charm that was hard for anyone to resist. He rose to the role of camp director. He led well, but he cleaned outhouses; drove the bus, gathering steam on the downhills and gunning it on the uphills; and nurtured homesick outcasts. He learned the art of storytelling through the medium of magnificent campfires. He also honed his champion skills in performing practical jokes. It is where he was given the nickname, Weens.
His love for nature deepened at camp and he pursued it through canoe and bicycle trips and backpacking, first seeking wilderness in Southern Indiana's mysterious hollows and caves and then in all parts of the United States and throughout the world. He was extremely resourceful, a fierce optimist, and he believed in you before you did. Anything was possible and he attracted a tribe around him everywhere he went.
It was at camp where he met and nurtured a lifelong group of comrades who have experienced with wide eyes the satisfaction of a grueling adventure together many times. Weens never saw a problem that couldn't be overcome. He'd be happy to pull off his T-shirt and wrassle whatever dilemma the two of you were facing to its knees. Or he'd find a way to skirt the seemingly insurmountable obstacle completely.
And the man could stretch a dollar. Not having much of the green stuff never really mattered. There was so much near at hand to be gathered up and enjoyed. Friends and a case of Rhinelander Beer was all it took—maybe a little music and some chips, a drive down a country road to jump in somebody's lake, and a bed somewhere to throw himself down. Did he ever wake up crabby? No bed he ever slept in had a wrong side. With a tuneless whistle in the early morning and his long, light stride, everywhere he went he passed through life as if he was making his way to the betting window with the winning trifecta ticket in his pocket.
He'd cracked the code to happiness somewhere long ago roaming the woods in Ninevah. And he'd share the secret with you, if you wanted to draw alongside him for a while. He breathed in strength and exhaled joy with every breath he took and if you spent any time with him you couldn't help but get pulled along on some foolish caper you knew could never work. And when it was over, you had a story, one of those tales that grew each time he told it. Gathered 'round the glow of a campfire, the myth of what you'd pulled off together stretching and stretching with each telling, his eyes gleamed at you, his partner in crime, and you believed every word he said.
After graduating from Brown County High School in 1977, Scott went to Indiana University, where he walked on the baseball team, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism and English in 1981. His first job after college was in Joliet, Illinois, at a home for troubled kids. Big and strong, loving and wise, Scott was a perfect tonic for those kids. After a six- month trip bicycling through Europe and Northern Africa, he returned to Bloomington, committed to become a teacher. Following a semester of coursework at IU, Scott's teaching career began with student teaching in Navajo reservation schools in New Mexico. Later that year, credential in hand, he was invited to stay on at IU to teach in and direct the program from which he had just graduated, leading pre-service teachers to student teaching and internship opportunities in Navajo, Hopi, and Apache communities and schools.
Of all the gifts he gave to his friends, the greatest was Jenny, who stirred his soul. They married in 1989, the same year he received his doctorate degree in Curriculum and Instruction. They moved to Connecticut, taking a job as professor at Sacred Heart University, where he worked closely with area schools and directed a program that provided minority paraprofessionals the opportunity to become certified teachers. Haley, the comet, was born and Scott stepped into his greatest role, that of a loving father. He next accepted a job as assistant principal and athletic director at Hamden High School. During that time, Scott directed the development of two alternative school programs, one of which was a collaborative alternative school that served students from three districts.
Scott joined the faculty at Boise State University in 1997, where he became a daunting force for good in the College of Education and the broader university. As a faculty member in the Department of Curriculum, Instruction and Foundational Studies, Scott taught an array of undergraduate, graduate, and doctoral courses. His research and practice contributed significantly to a growing knowledge base related to innovative teaching and learning and specifically to better understanding underrepresented groups and underserved students. Scott also served as chair on many doctoral and masters committees, guiding students toward degrees and successful careers in Education. For years, he directed Summer Academy, a K-8 enrichment camp for local youth in partnership with the Center for School Improvement and Policy Studies, where he also was engaged in a number of funded research projects to improve public schools. His service to the profession through national, regional, and local leadership stands as a model of exemplary contribution and performance to all in higher education. He was promoted through the academic ranks to the professorship, along the way becoming a pillar of his department and College of Education
Soon after his arrival, Scott was invited to direct the Center for Multicultural Education Opportunities (CMEO). Scott worked tirelessly for students of all ages from disadvantaged backgrounds. There was no better job for a person who was so deeply committed to improving the lives of low-income, first-generation students and underrepresented minority students. As director of the center, he oversaw the work of numerous federally funded programs and was instrumental in writing grants to receive this funding. These programs encompassed two Migrant Education programs: the College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) and the High School Equivalency Program (HEP). They also include ten TRIO programs: two Educational Talent Search programs, four Upward Bound programs, Veterans Upward Bound, Student Support Services, Student Support Services Teacher Preparation, and the McNair Scholars Program.
During his nearly 20-year tenure at Boise State, he brought national recognition to the university, directing programs that garnered in excess of $3.5 million annually to provide a pipeline of support for students who live in poverty, including seasonal farmworkers and migrant families; high school dropouts; first generation college attendees; and Veterans in transition, as well as others who might not otherwise be able to attend college. For the last 12 years, through the CMEO Scott annually provided 10-12 scholarships to Boise State students in the amount of $2,000 each. To date, this commitment has provided students with over $250,000 in scholarship money. As a director, he was frequently asked to speak at numerous CMEO sponsored events where he provided valuable guidance and vision. His commitment to the success of all programs was profound.
While the contribution of his professional life could be quantified in the millions of dollars he and his team successfully secured to fund this work, (in excess of $42 million to date) it is best captured in the awe-inspiring and heart warming stories of thousands of young people whom he helped defy the odds and achieve remarkable success in their schooling and future life pursuits. Importantly, in spite of his accomplishments in the workplace, Scott never lost site of who he was and from whence he came. He was a friend to everyone on campus, and he valued his regular conversations with the custodian as much as his exchanges with university leadership. Scott lived his professional life with a big heart—full of humility, generosity, kindness, and reverence for humanity.
First and foremost Scott was a family man, dedicated to Jenny, his wife of 26 years and his three children. He was Jenny's best friend, her biggest cheerleader, and kitchen dance partner. Their love for each other was evident to all.
Scott was perhaps the world's greatest father. He was tireless in devotion to his children: Haley, Noah and Savannah. From chaperoning kids on a class camping trip at Anser Charter School to games-master at the kids' birthday parties, Scott made family a priority, and was extremely proud of his kids, rarely missing a single recital, church choir performance, school event, or game.
Scott's dedication to his children's sporting endeavors was selfless and unrelenting. His contribution began with North Boise Little League and continued on through their high school careers. As a little league parent, he was a dedicated coach, board member, and diligent volunteer for the baseball and softball programs. Scott was also a valued and respected member of the board of directors for the Boise Seminole American Legion program and was a big part of the Boise High baseball program. Having two daughters, his time spent helping the Boise High softball program spanned many years. When Scott was an assistant JV softball coach he did not let up as a volunteer for the baseball program—he simply did double duty. Scott was beloved by all at Boise High School. Scott and Jenny hosted players from the Australian baseball team a few years ago during the River City Tournament. They opened their home to not only their designated players, but also essentially everyone else, including other players, coaches and traveling parents. Scott organized activities for the kids during the down times, including a trip to BSU to tour the field and facilities.
Scott was always a willing volunteer for any task, but he especially loved coaching, announcing games, and making the fields pristine. His approach was one of respect and kindness and he worked countless hours in making the baseball/softball experience better for the players, parents, and coaches. He was genuinely happy with the success of other players on the team and was quick to congratulate the players and their parents.
Scott's devotion to his family and his community is something to which we should all aspire. He was generous, kind, and funny, with a great balance between faith, family, school, sports, and community. He was model of kindness and generosity, never celebrating Thanksgiving dinner or Christmas brunch without a few extra places set for people who might have otherwise been alone.
His eldest daughter, Haley, earned a Bachelor of Science in Nutrition and Exercise Physiology from Washington State University in 2015 and is currently completing a Masters of Science in Dietetics, also at Washington State. Noah, his son, is currently a sophomore at Central Washington University majoring in Clinical Physiology, and Savannah, his youngest child, is a senior at Boise High School and intends to enroll at the University of Montana in the fall.
Scott was preceded in death by his mother, Barbara Ann Smiar; stepfather, Nick Smiar; and father, Robert Willison, as well as his brothers, Greg Willison, Mark Willison, and Jeff Willison. He is survived by his other siblings Stacy Snider, Laura Riha (Ed), Chuck Smiar (Sharon), Nick Smiar (Helene), Pat Smiar (Jodi), and Louise Kincaid (Jim), and by his wife, Jenny, and their three children, Haley, Noah and Savannah.
A memorial service will be held at 1 p.m. on Saturday, March 5, at the Cathedral of the Rockies, 717 N 11th Street, Boise, with reception to follow at Boise High School. A visitation is also planned from 7-9 p.m. Friday, March 4, also at the Cathedral of the Rockies. Both the memorial and the visitation are open to the public.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be directed to the Scott Willison Scholarship at Boise State University, 2225 University Ave., Boise, ID 83725 and/or to the Cathedral of the Rockies, Willison Children's College Scholarship Fund, 717 No. 11th St., Boise, ID 83702.