Andrew "Andy" Scott

“Andy” (Andrew L) Scott, born July 11, 1943, passed away peacefully in his sleep in the early hours of Friday, October 19, 2018 at the Walker Methodist Health Center in Minneapolis, MN.  He had been visited on Thursday evening by his nephews Bob Scott and Gordon Scott and by his niece Emily Scott along with her new puppy.  Andy was able to pet the puppy and say his name.  He was born in Columbus, OH to the now late Rev. Marshal L Scott and Zoe Smith Scott.  He was the third of four children.  The family moved from Columbus to Baldwin, NY on Long Island, and finally, to Chicago.

Andy spent most of his younger years growing up in Chicago on the campus of McCormick Theological Seminary where his father was a professor and later, President.   Andy graduated from Waller High School in 1961.  Many of the friends he made at Waller became his closest and most lifelong friends.  Shortly after his high school graduation, Andy traveled to Europe with his sister, Carolyn, who had just graduated from Carleton College.  Along their travels, Andy met some new people who also became lifelong friends.  This began his passion for travel.  When he came home from his first European trip, Andy excitedly told all his family and friends about this new group he had heard while in Germany.  He was sure they were going to be really big and he had one of their albums.  It was, of course, The Beatles!  The album was from their German debut.

Andy eventually got his college degree in anthropology from the University of Illinois back when the local campus was referred to as Chicago Circle Campus.  In his years through college, Andy worked as a CTA bus driver.  He moved from Chicago to California and lived in the Thousand Oaks area.  While in California, he had jobs as a social worker, probation officer, and a Greyhound Bus driver. When he wasn’t working, he was playing or coaching soccer.  His passion for soccer had started at McCormick Seminary with some pick-up games with the international students and staff and continued on in California when he was playing on an international team with his brother, Jim.  He later started coaching a girl’s soccer team and found he really loved coaching!  Andy once coached a team that later went on to play in Mexico and win over the Mexican All Star team!  Again, he made friendships with the parents of the team members that have lasted through the years.

After many years of driving a bus for Greyhound, a back strain prevented him from continuing in that job.  Andy was disappointed with the lack of opportunities available in the United States so he decided on a new path that led him to teaching English in Japan. This developed into a love for teaching, the Japanese culture, and the Japanese people.  In fact, Andy stayed in Japan for 20 years!  Although he claimed to never have become fluent in Japanese, he was able to get by with his charm and by making friends with people who would help him with whatever he could not do himself.  The job allowed him to continue to travel the world and back home.  Andy would often bring one or more students, and sometimes their mothers, to the United States to show them some of the sites here and to meet friends and family.  The travelers always came with gifts and smiles and everyone was enriched by the experience.  He would also be sure to spend at least a week each year visiting in Wisconsin with his mother, Zoe.

Andy may have continued living in Japan had it not been for the stroke he suffered in December 2008.  The family will always be grateful for Andy’s very dear and close friend, Yukiyo, who found him after the stroke and got him to the hospital.  Yukiyo helped Andy and family navigate the Japanese medical system and helped to get Andy settled back in the United States. Yukiyo had been a wonderful companion to Andy for some years.  They enjoyed doing many things together and particularly enjoyed watching figure skating.  After the stroke, Yukiyo  helped to keep Andy motivated, especially that first year.  Although Andy never was able to overcome the physical challenges of the stroke, he was fortunate to have retained his mental abilities and his memory.  Andy remembered details from everything!  Past and present!  Andy moved from Japan to the Rehabilitation Institute of Chicago and then through several nursing facilities around the country with the transportation help of nurse and sister-in-law Darline: Manor Care in Highland Park, IL, near brother Jim and family; Kaiser in Long Beach, CA after an attempt to live at home with good friend and former fellow probation officer, Chris; Waban in Newton, MA near sister Carolyn and family; and Walker Methodist in Minneapolis, MN near brother Tom and many family members.  Andy gathered friends, doctors, and stories along the way.  He lived at Waban for the longest period so he collected the most from that time.  Doctors, staff, and roommates became his friends.  A former Waban roommate, Jeff, stayed in touch with Andy till the end, as did so many of his friends.  Andy loved to talk on the phone.  About sports, politics, old movies, figure skating, opera.

Opera. Another passion.  Andy was so excited at Walker to have a huge TV with an entire channel devoted to opera!  Plus a subscription to an opera magazine.  Thanks go to nephews Bob and Jim.  These were simple pleasures that brought him much happiness.

Andy has taught us all a lesson.  Find what brings you passion.  Make friends wherever you go and keep those friends close to your heart.

Andy is survived by his siblings Tom Scott (Pat), Carolyn Futrelle (Robert), and Jim Scott (Darline); his nieces and nephews Catherine Scott, Bob Scott (Kimberly), Jim Scott (Katie); David Futrelle, Joe Futrelle (Bethany Cooper), Genevieve Futrelle (Edoardo Ballerini), Emily Scott, Gordon Scott; and his seven grand nieces and nephews Ian, Hannah, and Julia Scott, Ella and Graeme Scott, and Lorenzo and Sylvia Ballerini.

The family would like to extend their gratitude to the staff of Walker Methodist in Minneapolis and Waban Health Center in Newton, MA for the many years of compassionate care.

An informal memorial will take place on Wednesday, February 20, 2019 at 12:00 noon at the interment site at Conejo Mountain Memorial Park, 2052 Howard Road, Camarillo, CA 93012.  Luncheon at D’Amores in Camarillo, will follow.