William Lee Scott

William Lee "Sonny" Scott, Sr. earned his heavenly reward, after a lengthy battle with cancer, on Friday, Aug. 29, 2025 at his home in Sparta, surrounded by loved ones. Born William Lee Scott, Sept. 4, 1947, in Houston, Miss. to parents J.B. Scott, Jr. and Betty Maud Pumphrey Scott, Sonny was the oldest of two children, with his sister, Carolyn Sue Scott Puckett (Wade) of Wilson, Arkansas. A funeral service will be held Tuesday, September 2, 2025 at Houston Funeral Home at 2:00 PM with Bro. Melvin Aycock officiating. Visitation will be held from 1:00 PM until time of service and he will be buried at Chickasaw Memorial Garden following the service. Houston Funeral home is honored to serve the Scott Family. He married the love of his life, Icie Lee Eaton Scott, of Sparta, on Christmas Day 1967. The two never left any doubt of their love for one another. The pair had three children, William Lee "Hank" Scott, Jr. (Stacie) of Houston, Robert Harmon Scott (Beth) of Sparta and Joshua Floyd Scott (Maria) of Steens. After working his way through college at Mississippi State University, Sonny spent years as a teacher, beginning at Woodland High School, before moving to Houlka Attendance Center where he retired. Retired life did not suit a man like him, however, and he began a career as an over-the-road truck driver for Franklin Corporation in Houston. With the birth of his grandchildren, he decided to trade his truck keys for computer keys and began working in Logistics at Franklin. He eventually retired from there as well, in order to care for his aging parents. A devoted son, Sonny was by both of his parents' sides as they both took their final breaths. His pursuit of knowledge was never satiated, and there was hardly a time when he didn't have a book in hand. Many knew him for his dry wit and tongue-in-cheek humor, which often found its way into his monthly column, which he wrote for the local newspapers The Northeast Mississippi Daily Journal and the Chickasaw Journal. It was a staple of both publications until he ended it in 2022. Sonny was preceded in death by his parents, J.B. and Betty Maud Scott, his son, Joshua Floyd Scott, his brother in-law, Wade Puckett, grandparents Robert L. "Bobby" and Bettie Harmon, Eddie Lee and Cornelia Carter Pumphrey, William Jennings Bryan and Eula Lake Carpenter Scott. He is survived by his wife of nearly 60 years, Icie; his two sons, Will and Harmon; his sister, Sue; his grandchildren, Robert (Deanna), Carter, James, Josh, Lee and Brooke Scott, Taylor Stephens and Madison Traywick (Carson); nieces Kristine Puckett and Kate Broach (Aaron); a nephew, Nathan Puckett (Audre); a host of great nieces and nephews; an uncle, Kenny Scott (Georgia); and an immeasurable number of students and others whose lives he touched in his time on this Earth.