Duane Carter Scott

Duane Carter Scott

RAPID VALLEY - Duane Carter Scott, 93, Rapid Valley, passed away Tuesday, Dec. 26, 2023 at the Fort Meade Veterans Affairs Community Living Center.

Duane was born March 20, 1930, at his aunt and uncles home in Lead, S.D., to Edward Carter Scott and Magdalene Heinrich Scott. He was the second of five children.

Duane grew up in the Rapid City area during the Great Depression and cherished many memories of attending Garfield Elementary School and growing up on Silver Street and Valley Drive. After completing the Eighth Grade, he moved with his family to Elk Creek valley north of the new Rapid City Air Base, where he found work that he truly enjoyed as a ranch hand.

Duane volunteered for military service in 1952, enlisting in the Army. He trained at Fort Sill, OK, where his gift for figures and precision was recognized, and was stationed in Korea working as a Survey Specialist with the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Field Artillery Regiment. He was honorably discharged in 1954.

Duane met his future wife, Nellie Yvonne Hayes, at a Christmas dance at Viewfield, S.D., December 1955. They were married at Boneita Springs, S.D. on June 30, 1957.

He was employed as a surveyor with American Bridge, Peter Kiewit and Sons, and the South Dakota Transportation Commission during construction of Cold War missile silos and the U.S. Interstate Highway System.

Their first child, Glenn Carter Scott, was born June 26, 1958, and their second child, Dean Gary Scott, was born April 19, 1962. Their daughter, Marinell Yvonne Scott, was born Nov. 19, 1966. Although they lived in many different places, all the children were born in Rapid City.

By the mid-1960's Duane and Nellie were ready to return to a life of ranching, investing their savings in livestock and partnering with a landowner when, shortly after Marinell's birth, Duane lost his herds of sheep and cattle in a blizzard, an event that ended his dream of ranching and deeply changed him.

Duane returned to construction work in Rapid City and Las Vegas, NV, eventually working at Utility Engineering Company in Rapid City. Duane credited his employer, Floyd Matthew, with encouraging him to obtain licensure as a Professional Land Surveyor, which he completed in the Spring of 1975. He then started his own business, DC Scott Land Surveyor. Duane worked as a professional land surveyor licensed in South Dakota and Arizona until 2001.

He was the watermaster of the Rapid Valley Conservation District from 1980 to 2001, in charge of tracking the use and distribution of all water releases from Pactola Reservoir.

After the kids were grown, Duane and Nellie had more time for gardening and traveling. They grew a large garden and Duane carefully labeled and stored dozens of jars of jellies, jams, sauerkraut, apples and tomatoes. They traveled to several states and many cemeteries and family landmarks as they researched family genealogy together.

Not content to stay retired, Duane went to work for the Pennington County Highway Department, a part-time job he kept for more than 20 years, working even into his 92nd year.

Nellie was paralyzed in a failed surgery in 2007, after which Duane became her full-time caregiver. One of the greatest gifts our Dad gave us was caring for our mother so she could remain at home, a challenging job he took on at age 78. Thanks to Moms caregivers from Interim Healthcare and Visiting Angels, Dad was able to continue working part-time during the years Mom was paralyzed.

After Nellie's death, Duane continued working at the highway department, a job he deeply loved. He was a walking encyclopedia and a living, talking map of every road in the county. Duane stopped driving around the time he turned 90 and the pandemic started, so when the highway superintendent suggested they send staff to drive him to work and back home, Duane was overjoyed. For his remaining years at home, his life revolved around his schedule of part-time work at the county.

The past year was difficult for Duane as he moved to his daughter's home, to Holiday Hills Estates Independent Living, to Peaceful Pines Assisted Living, back to his daughter's home and to the Community Living Center at Fort Meade. Along the way, Duane had many friends and helpers assisting him, including a special caregiver from Interim, Bridgett Adam.

Duane was known by all who knew him as a humble and gentle person, always learning and working hard. He was proud of his family, telling caregivers about how special his family was to him, always wanting to introduce a child or grandchild.

Survivors include two sons, Glenn Carter Scott (Heidi), Dean Gary Scott (Kathy) and one daughter, Marinell Scott Simpson (Mike), all of Rapid City; 16 grandchildren: Michael Alan Quandt (Rhadonda), Joshua Steven Quandt (Miranda), Valeri Marie Clark (Cody), Laura Nicole Husman (Paul), Andrew Dean Scott (Lindsay), Alisha Kay Berndt (Jerry), Marshall Carter Scott, David Matthew Quandt, Hannah Christine Trupe (Dylan), Scott Haven Twiss-Thornburg (Joy), Duane Conrad Scott, Jake Michael Simpson, Danny Lee Thornburg, Shila Kristine Simpson, Helena Grace Thornburg, Jessa Kathryn Simpson; seven great-grandchildren: Skyler Clark, Landon Clark, Kili Sunday Scott, Oliver Clark, Miles Carter Husman, Calvin Paul Husman and LunaRae Clark; two sisters, Lou Ann Phillips, Polson, Mont., and Mary Alice Holloway, Rapid City; seven nephews and six nieces.

He was preceded in death by his wife of 55 years, Nellie; his parents, Edward Carter Scott and Magdalene Heinrich Scott; brother, Walter Leroy Scott; and youngest sister, Lois Kay Quinn.

Visitation will be from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, Jan. 3, at Kirk Funeral Home at 1051 E Minnesota St., Rapid City, and one hour before the services Thursday.

Funeral services will be at 10:00 a.m. Thursday, Jan. 4, at the funeral home, followed by a light lunch. Burial will be at Boneita Springs Community Cemetery at 2:00 p.m.