A Celebration of Life for Mrs. Missie Bill Scott, 84 of Decatur, will be noon Saturday at Macedonia C.P. Church with Dr. Willie Cowan officiating and inhumation to follow in Roselawn Garden of Memory. The body will lie in repose one hour prior to funeral. Public viewing will be today from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. at Reynolds Funeral Home. The family will receive friends tonight from 6 to 7 at the funeral home.
Missie was born January 18, 1931, to the late Jimmie Lee Germany and Laura Harris Ross in Hardaway. She was the stepdaughter of Paul Ross Sr. She was the oldest of ten children. Missie accepted Christ at an early age and joined Damascus Baptist Church in Hardaway, Alabama. She later joined Hill’s Chapel Cumberland Presbyterian Church, where she served for over 50 years. As a member of Hill’s Chapel, Mrs. Scott served faithfully in numerous capacities. She was a graduate of Prairie Farm High School in Shorter, Alabama. She received her Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education and Master’s from Alabama State College (now Alabama State University). She met and married Hubert D. Scott Sr. and to this union four children were born Jr., Craig, Melissa and Chris.
Mrs. Scott’s career in education spanned over 35 years. She began teaching school in Dadeville, Alabama. Mrs. Scott also taught at Morgan County Training School in Hartselle; Trinity High School in Athens; Owens Junior High School in Limestone County and East Limestone High School in Limestone County. She coached volleyball, basketball and softball, and was a club sponsor. Upon retirement, she was a substitute teacher and night school teacher (Horizon High School) in Decatur City Schools. She touched the lives of many through education. Profoundly awarded and appreciated for her hard work, dedication and outstanding service in the field of education, Mrs. Scott loved being a teacher and every student that she encountered. She was professional and shared her education with everyone. To make sure she was doing her best, she remained a lifelong learner and encouraged those around her to do the same.
Mrs. Missie Scott was a tireless servant to the community. She was a member of the Professional Women’s Club in Athens, Alabama and the R.E. Nelms Temple 1127 in Huntsville. She worked for Decatur Parks and Recreation for several years as a summer park director and various other capacities at Jessie Louis Smith Park, Cedar Lake Park and Wilson Morgan Park. If you knew anything about Cedar Lake, you knew Mrs. Scott. Heralded as an iconic leader in the Cedar Lake Community, she was a mother, wife, Big Ma, teacher, friend, comforter, confidant, everyone’s mom, kid’s cab driver, counselor, motivator, mentor, community activist, a beacon of hope, a role model and the list goes on. She loved her family (which included the children in the community) and was dedicated to their care. Her love and compassion for people were often demonstrated through her beautiful smile and soft voice.
She leaves to cherish her memory a loving husband of 58 years, Hubert Scott Sr.; four children, Hubert (Monica) Scott Jr., Decatur, Craig (Connie) Scott, Huntsville, Melissa Scott and Christopher Scott (Kimberly), Decatur; two stepdaughters, JoAnn Renfroe and Judy Wallace (Claiborne), both of Decatur; and one stepson, Tony Scott of Miami, Florida; two sisters, Idelia Love and Annie (Bobby) Alexander, both of Tuskegee; five brothers, Townsend (Dorothy) Ross and David (Wanda) Ross, of Washington, D.C., William Ross, Joe Ross and Major Ross, of Tuskegee; one sister-in-law, Ms. Ida Mae Ross, of Washington, D.C.; 12 grandchildren; and a host of great-grandchildren, nieces, nephews, cousins and friends. Three brothers preceded her in death, George Harris, Paul Ross Jr. and Solomon Ross.
