David Charles Scott

1936 - 2022

David Charles Scott
January 30, 1936 ~ January 24, 2022
Resident of Aptos
David Charles Scott, age 85, passed away on January 24, 2022, at his Aptos home with his wife Anne at his bedside. He had been hospitalized after a fall in November and then experienced kidney failure. David came home to spend his last weeks with the family he loved.
David was born Jan. 30, 1936 in Palo Alto, California to Charles and Cecelia Scott. His family moved to Chico when he was 10, and he graduated from Chico High School in 1953. David enrolled that fall at Stanford University, majoring in journalism. He was editor of the Stanford Daily his senior year. While working on the Daily, David met the love of his life, Anne Johnson. David and Anne were married graduation week at Stanford.
David started work as a journalist but then decided he'd rather be a teacher. He obtained his teaching credential in social studies and taught high school government for six years in Vancouver, Washington. He also completed his master's degree at Reed College, Portland, Oregon. During that time, David and Anne had four children: Megan, Peter, Matthew and Jocelyn. In 1965 David was awarded a National Science Foundation Fellowship in Teaching Economics at the University of Washington. David and Anne moved their four children into family housing on the U of W campus. David was then recruited to teach economics at Bakersfield Community College in Southern California. Once again, the family packed up and moved.
While teaching, David commuted to Los Angeles to earn his doctorate in administration at the University of California, Los Angeles. He moved into administration at Bakersfield College, first serving as director of research and development and then as dean, handling the college budget and personnel. David spent the last six years of his academic career as Assistant Chancellor, Personnel, of the Kern Community College District, overseeing three colleges, Bakersfield, Porterville, and Cerra Cosa. For several years David served as chair of the California Community College Research and Development Commission. He also represented the college district on the national Community College League for Innovation. David served on the California Accreditation Commission, accrediting colleges and rewriting the accreditation standards.
Vacations were a special time for the Scott family. Summers they headed north to Manzanita, Oregon where Anne's mother had a home by the ocean. They bought a tent trailer and visited national parks in the West and British Columbia, Canada. Although David was born blind in the right eye and with limited vision in the left, he loved to hike and swim with his family. Sequoia National Park was close to Bakersfield, and many days were spent camping in Sequoia.
David was a leader in three churches in his lifetime. While living in Vancouver, WA he served as an elder for Columbia Presbyterian Church, the youngest elder ever elected by that church to that position. In Bakersfield David and Anne found a church home at Wesley United Methodist Church, where their anti-war stance was supported. David became the Kern County chair of the Eugene McCarthy presidential campaign, putting his anti-Vietnam War stance into action. David served as chair of Wesley's administrative council for 16 years and was active in mission outreach to the homeless. He would stay at the Baker Street homeless shelter once a month, caring for those who were there. After moving to Aptos, David became a member of Aptos United Methodist Church. He served as chair of the Staff Parish Relations Committee and member of the Missions Team, serving food to the homeless until his blindness became total.
In retirement David greatly enjoyed time with his children and six grandchildren David, Jill, Elena, Alex, Ben and Jack. Because David's eyesight was failing, he and Anne determined to travel extensively while David could still see. They took cruises to Alaska and Hawaii, to South America and around the Horn, to the Arctic and the Antarctic, through the Mediterranean Sea from Barcelona to Istanbul, up the Nile river, down the Rhine and Danube rivers, and down the Mississippi. They traveled on their own to England, Scotland and France several times. They went with Elderhostel/Road Scholar to Ireland, Spain, Portugal, Scandinavia, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Vietnam, and China. They took the Trans-Siberian railroad from Mongolia to Moscow. They explored Machu Pichu.
In 2010 David and Anne moved to Aptos, California to be close to their son and daughter-in-law, Matt and Kirsti Scott and their family. David had three great loves in his life, his wife Anne, his children, grandchildren and great-grandson, and his dogs, Max, Cleo, Vicki, Abby, Emily, Tahari, Zephr and Jenny. One could always see David in the morning out for a walk with a dog by his side. When he was blind, Zephr would guide him on the daily walk.
David and Anne both loved to read, listen to music, collect art and watch their favorite sports teams. David read with the aid of a magnifying glass and large print books until he could no longer see at all. He then obtained talking books from the Sacramento branch of the Library of Congress and always had a book going. Anne read to David, sharing their love of history, travel and good yarns. They were season subscribers to the Santa Cruz Symphony and when in Bakersfield, traveled to Los Angeles for music and plays. Throughout their marriage they collected art, turning their home into a mini-art gallery of landscapes. David also was a serious photographer, and his photos are displayed in their home. While living in Bakersfield, David was a Dodgers and Lakers fan; when he moved to Aptos, he became a fan of the Giants and Golden State Warriors.
David loved his family, worked hard, and lived a good life. He wasn't sure what happened after death but he believed that God put people on earth to care for each other. He trusted in God.
David is survived by his wife of 64 years, Anne, his children Megan and Dion Scott-Kakures, Peter and Mary Ann Scott, Matthew and Kirsti Scott and Jocelyn and David Belt, his grandchildren, David and Taryn Scott, Jillian Scott, Elena Scott-Kakures, Alexandra Scott, Benjamin Scott, and Jackson Scott; and his great-grandson Caleb Scott. His only regret was that he never got to see Caleb due to Covid-19 travel restrictions.
David's family extends their grateful thanks to the staffs of Dominican Hospital, Care from the Heart Home Services and Heartland Hospice who provided loving care during his illness. Contributions in his memory may be made to Aptos or Wesley United Methodist Church, Animal Friends Rescue or Peace of Mind Dog Rescue of Pacific Grove, the Santa Cruz Symphony, Second Harvest Food Bank, the Bakersfield College Scholarship Fund, or the Talking Books, Sacramento Branch of the Library of Congress.
"A memorial service will be held Saturday, June 25, 11 a.m., at Aptos United Methodist Church, 221 Thunderbird Drive, Aptos (Seascape). Lunch will follow. Please wear bright clothes as David requested."
If you would like to send your condolences to David's family, please visit www.scmemorial.com.


View the online memorial for David Charles Scott