Richard Lee Scott

Richard 'Scotty' Scott, a proud Arizona native, passed away peacefully at the age of 85. Born Oct. 6, 1938, in Miami, Arizona, and raised in nearby mining communities, he lived a life as vibrant and colorful as the Arizona desert landscapes that surrounded him. After high school, he graduated from Eastern Arizona Junior College and then went on to receive bachelor's and master's degrees in Education from Arizona State College at Flagstaff, now known as Northern Arizona University. While there, he was a part of Epsilon Pi Tau, the international honorary professional fraternity in Industrial Arts and Industrial Vocational education.
He served as a high school teacher at Indio (Calif.) High School in the Coachella Valley High School District and Maryvale High School for a number of years before embarking upon a long career in the real estate industry. He began his real estate career as a new home sales representative for local homebuilder, Knoell Homes, and was a top dollar volume producer. He received the Home Builders Association of Central Arizona Citation Award in 1982 and 1983. After serving as a new home sales representative for more than a decade, he moved into leadership and served as Vice President of Sales and Marketing for various local homebuilders for more than a decade. He would later come to own The Hyland Bay Company, a comprehensive training and development company serving the real estate industry. He became a licensed real estate broker in 1976.
He married Melva Miller June 9, 1962. He was a devoted husband, a loving father, and a cherished friend to many. Scotty came to know Jesus as his Lord and Savior in 1976, and served in various roles at local churches, including Palmcroft Church where he became a member with his wife, Melva, in April 1992.
As an Arizona native, Scotty appreciated the beauty of the desert and had a passion for the Southwest lifestyle. He enjoyed hunting with his buddies and camping with this family. After renting a recreational vehicle for a family vacation in the mid-1970s, he became a motorhome enthusiast and his family enjoyed traveling across the United States on summer vacations. A favorite and frequent local camping spot for the family was Ponderosa Campground outside Payson.
A man of many talents and passions, Scotty embraced life with enthusiasm. He became active in a local club of Toastmasters International, known as the Walkie Talkie chapter, in the mid-1980s. He enjoyed honing his professional speaking skills and telling stories! Scotty was an exercise enthusiast, and he trained for and completed the Fiesta Bowl Marathon in December 1983.
He is survived by his two daughters (Tracy Scott and Suzanne Tanner) and his three grandchildren Garrett, Avery and Hadley. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Palmcroft Church https://palmcroft.churchcenter.com/giving or Huger Mercy Living Center, operated by St. Joseph's Hospital. https://www.supportstjosephs.org/HugerMercyLivingCenter