Drema Eleanor Scott

DREMA ELEANOR (MELTON) SCOTT, 90, passed away Tuesday, October 14, 2025. She was blessed to continue to reside in her Nitro, WV home and be surrounded by family and friends during the final chapter of her very full life.
Drema was born September 22, 1935 to John and Audra Melton in Lanham, WV. She grew up on the family farm alongside her six siblings where close family ties, sense of community, respect for the land, hard work ethic and gaining an education were core values. She was a devoted daughter and loyal sister who welcomed three generations of nieces and nephews across her lifespan. She was the loving wife of James "Jim" Scott from their wedding in 1971 until his untimely death from cancer in 2002. Together they shared years of wit and humor, travel, and daily adventures rooted in love and friendship.
She is preceded in death by her parents John and Audra Melton, Aunt Teanie and Uncle Roy McClanahan, her siblings Rosalie Purdy, James Melton, and Peggy Melton, and her husband James Scott. She is survived by her sisters Betty Melton of Nitro, WV and Sharon (James) Mullins of Florida, as well as brother-in-law Morris Purdy of Poca, WV, sister-in-law Wanda Melton of Buffalo, WV and her many nieces and nephews.
Her education began in the one-room Fish School in Lanham and she graduated from Poca High School. She went on to attend Morris Harvey College (now University of Charleston) and Marshall University where she earned her master's degree in education. Drema used the education she gained to educate others, working in elementary education for 40 years. She taught at Poca Elementary and Point Harmony Elementary in WV, and spent the majority of her teaching years at Pickaway Township in Circleville, OH before retiring in 1992.
In addition to contributing to her community through teaching, Drema developed friendships and personal interests through various activities and volunteerism. While living in Ohio, she was a member of the Circleville Art League. On her return to West Virginia, she enjoyed her church family at the Nitro Presbyterian Church.
Drema will be remembered fondly for her giving spirit, sense of humor, and her vibrant personality. She was a creator. She developed her talent for art and created gorgeous masterpiece watercolor paintings, often inspired by flowers or familiar landscapes. She created stories, retelling memories with suspense and detail that drew you in or making books come alive as she drew children into her lap to read aloud. She created close life-long bonds especially in the relationships with her sisters. She created Christmas magic as one of the most enthusiastic and surprise-loving gift givers in the "Melton Family Name Game", one of Aunt Teanie's biggest helpers in hosting decades of Christmas Eve dinners, and as the hostess who gathered family in her home to keep those traditions alive. She created the future as a dedicated teacher who touched the lives of countless students. Heaven will become an even more beautiful place filled with laughter, art, and stories now that her Creator has called her home.
The family invites you to celebrate her life at 11 a.m. Monday, October 20, 2025, at First Presbyterian Church in Nitro. Burial will follow in the Melton Family Cemetery, Poca. The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Sunday, October 19, 2025, at Gatens-Harding Funeral Home, Poca.
Condolences may be offered by visiting www.hardingfamilygroup.com.
In lieu of flowers, donations are requested to support First Presbyterian Church in Nitro or the James Melton Scholarship Fund.
Gatens-Harding Funeral Home, 147 Main St., Poca is serving the family.