In the early morning of the winter solstice, Gerald E. Scott, 82, of Winter Haven, Florida, passed quietly after a period of declining health.

Gerald was born October 23, 1935 in Bessemer, Pennsylvania, to Ada M. (Henderson) Scott and Joseph E. Scott.  He was the youngest of five children.  Gerald enjoyed growing up in Bessemer and had much success in athletics.  He still holds a record for scoring over 1,000 points on his high school basketball team.

Gerald left Bessemer to join the Army and served during the Korean War.  Upon returning, he enlisted in the Marines.  He had many proud moments serving his country and one of his favorites was as President John F. Kennedy’s color guard.  It was while he was stationed in Washington, D.C., that he met his future wife of 54 years, Margaret A. Roark.

Gerald and Margaret raised four children while living in multiple states, which included Maryland, Pennsylvania, Michigan and Delaware. They finally settled in Waterville, Maine, where Gerald worked for Quaker State Motor Oil and Maritime Energy of Rockland, Maine.

While raising their children, Gerald (with Margaret at his side) participated in all of their various activities.  He was particularly active in the Boy Scouts of America and Special Olympics.  He embraced living in Maine and even learned to ski in his 40s.  

Always on the look out for new adventures, Gerald and Margaret moved to Florida in 1994, where Gerald worked for various trucking companies.  They enjoyed their time in Florida by going to the beach and making many friends.

Gerald is survived by his wife, Margaret, of Winter Haven, Florida; their children Todd A. Scott of Windham, Maine; Carole A. (Scott) Gartley and her husband, Will, of Rockport, Maine; Timothy A. Scott and his wife, Sheila (Davenport),of Winter Haven, Florida; Joseph H. Scott and his wife, Beth (Bishop); of Clarksville, Tennessee; his grandchildren Taylor Gartley, Cameron Gartley, Andrew and Starry (McGraw) Scott, Cordelia Scott, Alex Pooler, Vincent Scott and Nicholas Scott; his great grandchildren: Blaire and Charlotte Scott; his beloved sister, Violet (Scott) Cracraft; and her husband; Russell; and many nieces and nephews and his dog, Bogie.  

 In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to a charity for children or animals.  A celebration of life will be held at a later date.