Robert Scott

Robert “Bob” Scott was a loving family man with a strong commitment to the principles of both hard work and a devoted faith. He worked hard to care for his loved ones and would sacrifice whatever was necessary to make sure they had what they needed. His faith in God, however, guided his decisions and led him be the honorable man he was. Bob lived life to the fullest and gave all that he had to living it with integrity each and every day.

Robert Scott entered the world in the middle of the Roaring Twenties, a time of excitement and energy in the United States. He was born on March 27, 1926, in Kalamazoo, Michigan, and was the third of fourteen children. With such a large family, the Scott household was undoubtedly a busy place. With eight brothers and five sisters, Bob, as he was called, had plenty of opportunity to create unforgettable childhood memories. Although maybe not one of his happiest memories, Bob often told of the time when he contracted polio as a young boy, and his parents never let him use his disability as an excuse to be lazy or not accomplish whatever he set out to do.

Bob was 11 when his family moved to the Plainwell area, and he attended the schools here until the 11th grade. Eventually, Bob moved to Kalamazoo and went to work at the KVP Sutherland Paper Co. in Parchment as a Color Matcher in the Ink Department. His dad and a couple of his brothers worked here too, so he always had family around. Then, in the late 1940s, Bob’s life took a new direction when he met a beautiful young lady named Grace Mulder. At the time, Bob was dating someone else, but Grace’s sweet charm eventually won his heart and they began dating. As fate would have it, Bob and Grace fell in love and were happily married in a beautiful ceremony at the YMCA in Kalamazoo on January 18, 1950. The couple spent the next 61 years together, raising their four children: Donald, Carol, Sandy and Debbie, and sharing many wonderful memories as a family. They took many great family vacations over the years, many of which revolved around visiting family. On Sundays after church, Bob often made his fabulous fried chicken for his wife and children, and later satisfied his sweet tooth with some chocolate, particularly M&Ms, cashew nuts and a Pepsi.

By the late 1960s, Bob’s job with the paper mill was uncertain as it was bought by the ACME Co. In the early 1980's , Bob and Grace moved with his job to Fort Wayne, Indiana, and remained here for 5 years before returning to Kalamazoo. After Bob retired from the paper mill, he wasn’t quite ready for retirement life so he became a driver for Bud and Doug Walters Used Cars, and later for DeNooyer Jaguar. He finally retired in the early 2000s.

When it came to Bob’s much deserved leisure time, he had many hobbies and interests to keep him busy. For many years, Bob bowled 5 days a week and won countless trophies and patches. He enjoyed hunting and fishing, and he and Grace were die-hard Detroit Tiger fans, watching as many games as they could. Bob and Grace also loved to traveled whenever possible and had visited Branson, Missouri and Gulf Shores, Alabama. Wherever they were, Bob always loved to do some “people watching” and he could strike up a conversation with just about anyone with his dry sense of humor. Church was also a very important part of Bob’s life. He and Grace were faithful members of the Reformed Baptist Church, which they attended twice on Sundays. Bob’s strong faith was a hallmark of his life, and his deep Christian commitment was always evident in the way he led his life.

A true family man, Bob’s happiest moment always involved the time he spent with his wife, children and grandchildren. He was a very proud grandfather, who took an active role in supporting all of his grandchildren in their endeavors in life. Then, about 4 years ago, Bob began experiencing mild symptoms of Alzheimer’s and eventually made the decision to give up driving and become a true “back seat driver.” Sadly, Bob lost his beloved wife, Grace, in February 2011, after 61 wonderful years together. Not many people have the privilege to share that many years together – something Bob and Grace were quite proud of. They were an inspiration to everyone around them.

Bob went home to be with his Lord and Savior on Saturday, June 25, 2011. Learn more about Bob, view his life story film and share light refreshments while visiting with his family and friends on Wednesday, June 29, from 3 to 7 p.m. at the Life Story Funeral Home, Portage (344-5600). Services will be held on Thursday, June 30, at 12:30 p.m. at Reformed Baptist Church of Kalamazoo, 708 Nichols Road.

Members of Bob’s family includes one son and three daughters: Donald P. (Sandy) Scott, Carol Gilkison, Sandy (Steve) Kiphart, Debbie (Jeff) Verburg; six grandchildren: Justin (Stacy) Verburg, Jennifer (Dale) Pease, Renee Spague, Joshua Gilkison, Jeremy (Randi Lynn) Gilkison, Brenden (Sara) Kiphart; step-grandchildren, James, Jeffery and John Schwab; four great grandchildren: Brayden, Kaylin, Logan and Caleb; bothers and sisters: Gerald, Richard, Norman and Phillip Scott and Barbara Hall, Martha Dusseljee and Nancy Bierema; several nieces and nephews. Bob was preceded in death by his wife of 61 years, Grace (Mulder) Scott, and brothers and sisters, Mary Ellen, Edward, Fredrick, Kenneth and Raymond Scott and Patricia Stutesman. Please visit Bob’s memory page at www.lifestorynet.com, where you may share a memory, upload a photo and sign his online guest book before coming to the funeral home. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to his family to assist with final expenses.