William Scott

Leroy Scott was a great man who excelled and succeeded against enormous odds. Leroy was born on February 28th, 1937 in Kansas City, Missouri. His biological father left the family when he was only four years old, so Leroy, his brother Clifford, and sister Charlene were all raised by their mother Aliene Houk and step- dad Lacy Scott. They were poor. Leroy quit school after only the 8th grade and went to work as a Copy Boy at the Associated Press. He soon worked his way up and developed his niche as a talented photographer for the AP, The Kansas City Kansan, KMBC TV Channel 9, Swetnam and Grier, Christenson, Barclay & Shaw, the Independence Examiner, and in the final years, his own thriving freelance business, W.L. Scott Photography. He saw everything and captured it all through his lens: historical events and famous characters up close; danger, disasters and triumphs, joy and heartbreak, and loads of personal and candid moments through his wedding and portrait work. Those wedding portraits will live on in hundreds and hundreds of family albums passed down over the generations. Leroy Scott made those special moments live on.

Leroy was an adventurer. He met Presidents and dignitaries. He filmed robberies and arrests, fires and plane crashes. He drove a Channel 9 News Wagon with police and fire radios, long whip antennas, and a huge red emergency beacon on the roof. He knew the cops. He hunkered down in the middle of the street to film the KC riots back in the 60s. He described the gunfire so that you could feel it. He had bowling balls thrown over his head, he hung outside airplanes and helicopters to get the great aerial shots, and he strapped himself to the front of a racecar long before there were Go Pros. He explored wild caves in ice water up to his neck. He hunted bear and moose in the Yukon, bathed in a lake rarely seen by humans, and ate a caribou steak on a stick. And….he brought a live ELEPHANT to the house for a birthday party! Who does all that? Leroy Scott.

Leroy was a kind, generous, honest, forgiving, and loving man. Leroy provided a safe and healthy home and demonstrated daily a simple and unconditional love for his family. Leroy had a generous heart and great character. If there were only one " episode " to demonstrate who Leroy Scott was, it would be Christmas Eve, 1972. That year, Leroy found a homeless man in the downtown rail yards and brought him back to the house for Christmas eve. His name was "Ham". He lived on freight trains, and had only one hand, his left. The right hand was lost years ago hopping a train. Leroy gave Ham the run of the house to shower, shave, eat, and relax. Once he was fed and settled, Leroy said to him " Ham, I trust you ", then loaded up the family and went to church for the Christmas eve service. They returned to their home just as they had left it and Ham slept in a warm bed that night. Christmas morning after a big breakfast, Leroy took old Ham back to the train yard to catch another train. Ham didn't want to stick around, but there is no doubt that old hobo riding those freight trains often remembered the kind man in Kansas City who took him in on Christmas eve. Who does that? Leroy Scott did.

Above all, Leroy Scott was a family man. He met his Dream Girl Judy on a blind date, married her in 1957, and loved her for 61 years. He knew how good she was for him and would have laid on the tracks for her. He loved his kids dearly and worked hard to create a story-book childhood for them, full of vivid memories of love, warmth, happiness, and wonder. He was a faithful and proud mentor, coach, and protector. He was always there. He was solid. He was a hero. Leroy is survived by his loving wife and partner of 61 years, Judy, his children Bill, Kathy, and Lori, grandchildren Lindsay, Andrew, Sydney, Mitch, Griffin, Scott, and Sam, a new great grandchild Malcom, and many, many friends and fans.

In Lieu of flowers, please consider memorial donations to Bethany Lutheran Church, Wayside Waifs, or Great Plains SPCA.

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