WILLIAM L. SCOTT

November 1, 1924 ~ June 1, 2018

It is with deep regret and profound sadness that we announce the passing of William (Bill) Laverne Scott who was born November 1, 1924, and passed away on June 1, 2018. He passed away peacefully surrounded by his loving family, in the house that he built. Bill was born in Medicine Hat, the youngest son of Simon Fredrick and Christena Scott.

He was always the eternal optimist an endearing trait that we all truly cherish. Like his father, Bill loved Medicine Hat and its people. He would often say, “I had a wonderful childhood growing up in Medicine Hat. Pop was the blacksmith, the farmers were always trading food for work, there was always something to eat”. While in high school, Bill had a full time job with the CPR and worked the 4:00 p.m. to midnight shift. He would use that as an excuse as to why he didn’t have his homework done. The teachers would say, “that’s okay Billy, we know you’re just trying to help out with the war effort”. In 1943, Bill was able to join the army. Through the army’s officer training program and their Canadian Alberta University Course (CAUC) he was able to study at the universities in Alberta and BC and received his Mechanical Engineering degree in 1948. He had always expressed his gratitude for all of the opportunities that the army offered him. Bill went on to become the first hired Professional Engineer for the City of Medicine Hat and was in charge of the utilities department. He felt his greatest achievement in that role was saving the city’s power plant from being sold to Calgary Power. He knew the true value of autonomous power.

In 1950, he married the love of his life, Lorraine Palnau. BilI went to a dance at the Odd Fellows Hall on 3rd Street and there he saw the most beautiful girl in the world, wearing a yellow dress accented with a black choker. Lorraine was the centre of Bill’s life and their love was that of legend! Through their example, they taught us all how to thrive in a marriage commitment. Their children were truly blessed to have them as parents. Bill loved music – he sang in the Westminster Church choir with his dad and between 1962 and 1969 and was baritone with the barbershop quartet, “The Drop Tones”. In that same period, he was the first director of the Gas City Chorus, a Barbershop group of 20 some local men. Bill also loved baseball. His leather ball jacket that proclaims Cecil Hotel Buffaloes City League Champs 1949-1950, still hangs in the closet. By the time Bill retired from the city in 1979, he was in charge of the power plant, water treatment plant, line shop, gas department, fire hall, transit system and the city dump. They hired three engineers to replace him. After he retired, he worked for the town of Redcliff. He negotiated the agreement of the purchase of gas wells from Dominion Glass thereby establishing the Redcliff Utilities Dept. After that he was employed by the Medicine Hat College where he established and taught courses in home energy conservation.

When Bill turned 70 years old, he and Lorraine became the youth leaders at Westminster Church. They were always the youngest old people in the world. They loved to travel and they loved to hike and backpack. They backpacked the Chilicoot Pass at Skagway, O’Hara Lake, Banff and Jasper; traveled in Europe, Mexico, Cuba, Fiji, Costa Rica, and Hawaii and ventured on several cruises. Ever present in Bill’s life was his love of his Savior Jesus Christ and his love for Lorraine, his partner and friend.

Left to cherish his memory are his wife of 68 years, Lorraine Mae (nee Palnau); four children, Stephen, Nancy (Gary) Gould, Laura Scott (Randy Hauer), Jeffrey (Ann-Marie) Scott; daughter-in-law, Brenda Scott; grandchildren, Simon and Samuel Scott, Barbara (Tyler) Lemmens, Katherine (Dan) Mandryk, William, David and Susan Scott; sister-in-law, Lois Whitehead; brother-in-law, Eck Madsen. Bill was predeceased by his parents, Simon Fredrick and Christena Bernice (nee Burt) Scott; sister, Marjorie (Fred) Allen; brother, Donald (Dorothy) Scott; brother-in-law, George Whitehead and sister-in-law; Dolores Madsen. The funeral service will be celebrated on Wednesday, June 6, 2018, at 1:00 p.m. at Westminster United Church, 101 – 6 Street S.E., Medicine Hat, AB., with Reverend Helen Reid officiating, with private interment following the reception. If friends so desire, memorial donations in Bill’s name may be directed to, AJ’s Loan Cupboard (Alan Joys Memorial Fund Society) #1, 749 – 14 Street SW, Medicine Hat, AB., T1A 4V8 (Condolences may be expressed by visiting our website at www.cook southland.com) Honoured to serve the family is

Cook Southland Funeral Chapel, 901 – 13th Street S.W. Medicine Hat, Alberta T1A 4V4 Phone 403-527-6455