Scott, Lee R. 79 of Scottsdale, passed away on February 10, 2014. Lee is the father of 4 and has been married to his lovely wife Sonia for 55 years. He led an accomplished life as a well-respected member of the community, much of it spent in service to others.
Mr. Scott served his country proudly in the United States Marine Corps and served during the Korean War.
He founded Shadow Mountain Mortuary in 1975 and served countless families in the funeral industry, for 50 years.
He was called on often, to serve fallen Members of Law Enforcement, and took special pride in caring for their families. He also served his colleagues as the past president of the Arizona Funeral Directors Association, founder of the AFDA Foundation for Children, and was one of ten trustees in the United States and Canada for the York Children's Foundation.
Lee also impacted many through his involvement in the community. He was a Charter member of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the Northeast Phoenix Boys and Girls Club, and charter member of the board of Trustees for Humana Hospital. He was very active in the North Phoenix Chamber of Commerce and was an organizer of the Paradise Valley Chamber of Commerce Political Action Committee.
Lee was an active member in many civic organizations including the Paradise Valley Rotary Club, Lion's Club, Paradise Valley Silver Trowel Lodge #29, F. & A.M., Order of Eastern Star, American Legion Post #107, and he served as Trustee for the Phoenix Boys Choir.
He was also a longtime member of Paradise Valley United Methodist Church.
Lee is remembered by many in the funeral industry as a colleague, teacher, mentor and friend.
He is survived by his wife Sonia Scott; daughter, Stephanie Chavez of Tempe, AZ; sons Michael Scott, of Houston, TX and Timothy Scott of El Paso, TX; sisters, Mary Alice Bassham of Wiley, TX and Billie Marie Guerin, of Phoenix, AZ and a brother, Howard Scott of Texas; 9 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren.
He is preceded in death by his daughter, Jaclynn and a grandson, Jonathan.
Visitation will be, Thursday, 5 to 7 pm, Funeral Services, Friday, 10:00 am, both at Shadow Mountain Mortuary, 2350 E. Greenway Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85022.
Interment to follow at Paradise Memorial Gardens.
Memorial Contributions may be made to AFCCA Foundation for Children, azfoundationforchildren.org or c/o AZFCCA, 1418 N. Scottsdale Rd., PMB 541, Scottsdale, AZ 85257.
Please visit www.shadowmountainmortuary.com to leave on line condolences for the family
Obit published in the Arizona Republic/azcentral
Credit For The Following Story.
By Megan Cassidy
The Republic | azcentral.com
Thu Feb 13, 2014 10:49 PM
About 15 years ago, Lee Scott heard the news that a Phoenix police officer had been shot and killed in the line of duty.
He phoned the main line of the Phoenix Police Department and was forwarded to the employee-assistance unit. Scott, founder of Shadow Mountain Mortuary, had a simple proposal. Let him take care of the entire funeral service, he said. At no cost.
The officer was just one of at least a dozen fallen Phoenix police officers who would be laid to rest under Scott's respectful watch at no cost to the families, police Cmdr. Tracy Montgomery said.
All Scott asked for in return was anonymity.
Montgomery wouldn't learn for several years that Scott had quietly done the same thing for others, often for homeless people or other forgotten members of the community.
Scott, 79, died Monday, and today, Phoenix police will give Scott a final, dignified farewell, a small gesture of thanks for the kindness he showed for so many of their brethren for so many years.
At his visitation Thursday, five members of the Phoenix police honor guard marched in unison to present American flags to Scott's children. Today, Phoenix Police Chief Daniel V. Garcia will present a flag to Sonia, Scott's wife of 55 years.
Montgomery, who leads the Phoenix police honor guard, said it is a symbolic gesture. The honorary flag presentation is typically reserved for officers who fall in the line of duty, she said.
"He did so much for so many," she said. "It's a great honor to be able to do that for him."
Scott, a member of the Marine Corps who served in the Korean War, will also receive full military honors.
Montgomery said officers were skeptical the first time Scott contacted the department.
"We thought, ‘That doesn't make sense,' " she said. "We kept waiting to hear what's the catch."
The average cost of a basic funeral is $3,000 to $6,000.
This wasn't about Shadow Mountain Mortuary, Scott told her. He unequivocally forbade the Police Department from speaking about the gesture publicly.
Scott's family allowed the information to be revealed this week.
Neither Sonia nor their children can say when Scott first offered his services. He wasn't the type to have mentioned it to anyone.
Their son, Michael Scott, has been with the Houston Police Department for 30 years. The family believes that is what inspired Scott's compassion for law-enforcement officers who died in the line of duty, even if he never said so out loud.
"(He thought), ‘If something happened to my son, how would I feel?' " Michael said. "When he saw these things happening in the community, he reacted to them."
Millie Armstrong, who worked with Scott for nearly a quarter-century, said it's impossible to remember how many people he helped. Scott would waive the cost of the coffin and funeral services, and he fostered partnerships with burial grounds and funeral coaches.
He served veterans, the homeless, those without families and the unclaimed. He buried a newborn who was thrown away at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. He prepared the bodies of some of the French tourists who died in a flash flood in Antelope Canyon near Page.
Although Scott eventually sold the company, Shadow Mountain Mortuary maintained its name, and Scott continued to do contract work until the day he died.
"It was his baby," said his daughter, Stephanie Chavez. "He just retired on Monday."
Montgomery said Scott set the tone for other Valley mortuaries that have become generous in the community.
"His genuine interest in people having a final, dignified burial was just so overwhelming," she said. "It was hard at times not to tell Lee's story."
Mr. Scott served his country proudly in the United States Marine Corps and served during the Korean War.
He founded Shadow Mountain Mortuary in 1975 and served countless families in the funeral industry, for 50 years.
He was called on often, to serve fallen Members of Law Enforcement, and took special pride in caring for their families. He also served his colleagues as the past president of the Arizona Funeral Directors Association, founder of the AFDA Foundation for Children, and was one of ten trustees in the United States and Canada for the York Children's Foundation.
Lee also impacted many through his involvement in the community. He was a Charter member of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the Northeast Phoenix Boys and Girls Club, and charter member of the board of Trustees for Humana Hospital. He was very active in the North Phoenix Chamber of Commerce and was an organizer of the Paradise Valley Chamber of Commerce Political Action Committee.
Lee was an active member in many civic organizations including the Paradise Valley Rotary Club, Lion's Club, Paradise Valley Silver Trowel Lodge #29, F. & A.M., Order of Eastern Star, American Legion Post #107, and he served as Trustee for the Phoenix Boys Choir.
He was also a longtime member of Paradise Valley United Methodist Church.
Lee is remembered by many in the funeral industry as a colleague, teacher, mentor and friend.
He is survived by his wife Sonia Scott; daughter, Stephanie Chavez of Tempe, AZ; sons Michael Scott, of Houston, TX and Timothy Scott of El Paso, TX; sisters, Mary Alice Bassham of Wiley, TX and Billie Marie Guerin, of Phoenix, AZ and a brother, Howard Scott of Texas; 9 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren.
He is preceded in death by his daughter, Jaclynn and a grandson, Jonathan.
Visitation will be, Thursday, 5 to 7 pm, Funeral Services, Friday, 10:00 am, both at Shadow Mountain Mortuary, 2350 E. Greenway Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85022.
Interment to follow at Paradise Memorial Gardens.
Memorial Contributions may be made to AFCCA Foundation for Children, azfoundationforchildren.org or c/o AZFCCA, 1418 N. Scottsdale Rd., PMB 541, Scottsdale, AZ 85257.
Please visit www.shadowmountainmortuary.com to leave on line condolences for the family
Obit published in the Arizona Republic/azcentral
Credit For The Following Story.
By Megan Cassidy
The Republic | azcentral.com
Thu Feb 13, 2014 10:49 PM
About 15 years ago, Lee Scott heard the news that a Phoenix police officer had been shot and killed in the line of duty.
He phoned the main line of the Phoenix Police Department and was forwarded to the employee-assistance unit. Scott, founder of Shadow Mountain Mortuary, had a simple proposal. Let him take care of the entire funeral service, he said. At no cost.
The officer was just one of at least a dozen fallen Phoenix police officers who would be laid to rest under Scott's respectful watch at no cost to the families, police Cmdr. Tracy Montgomery said.
All Scott asked for in return was anonymity.
Montgomery wouldn't learn for several years that Scott had quietly done the same thing for others, often for homeless people or other forgotten members of the community.
Scott, 79, died Monday, and today, Phoenix police will give Scott a final, dignified farewell, a small gesture of thanks for the kindness he showed for so many of their brethren for so many years.
At his visitation Thursday, five members of the Phoenix police honor guard marched in unison to present American flags to Scott's children. Today, Phoenix Police Chief Daniel V. Garcia will present a flag to Sonia, Scott's wife of 55 years.
Montgomery, who leads the Phoenix police honor guard, said it is a symbolic gesture. The honorary flag presentation is typically reserved for officers who fall in the line of duty, she said.
"He did so much for so many," she said. "It's a great honor to be able to do that for him."
Scott, a member of the Marine Corps who served in the Korean War, will also receive full military honors.
Montgomery said officers were skeptical the first time Scott contacted the department.
"We thought, ‘That doesn't make sense,' " she said. "We kept waiting to hear what's the catch."
The average cost of a basic funeral is $3,000 to $6,000.
This wasn't about Shadow Mountain Mortuary, Scott told her. He unequivocally forbade the Police Department from speaking about the gesture publicly.
Scott's family allowed the information to be revealed this week.
Neither Sonia nor their children can say when Scott first offered his services. He wasn't the type to have mentioned it to anyone.
Their son, Michael Scott, has been with the Houston Police Department for 30 years. The family believes that is what inspired Scott's compassion for law-enforcement officers who died in the line of duty, even if he never said so out loud.
"(He thought), ‘If something happened to my son, how would I feel?' " Michael said. "When he saw these things happening in the community, he reacted to them."
Millie Armstrong, who worked with Scott for nearly a quarter-century, said it's impossible to remember how many people he helped. Scott would waive the cost of the coffin and funeral services, and he fostered partnerships with burial grounds and funeral coaches.
He served veterans, the homeless, those without families and the unclaimed. He buried a newborn who was thrown away at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. He prepared the bodies of some of the French tourists who died in a flash flood in Antelope Canyon near Page.
Although Scott eventually sold the company, Shadow Mountain Mortuary maintained its name, and Scott continued to do contract work until the day he died.
"It was his baby," said his daughter, Stephanie Chavez. "He just retired on Monday."
Montgomery said Scott set the tone for other Valley mortuaries that have become generous in the community.
"His genuine interest in people having a final, dignified burial was just so overwhelming," she said. "It was hard at times not to tell Lee's story."
Scott, Lee R. 79 of Scottsdale, passed away on February 10, 2014. Lee is the father of 4 and has been married to his lovely wife Sonia for 55 years. He led an accomplished life as a well-respected member of the community, much of it spent in service to others.
Mr. Scott served his country proudly in the United States Marine Corps and served during the Korean War.
He founded Shadow Mountain Mortuary in 1975 and served countless families in the funeral industry, for 50 years.
He was called on often, to serve fallen Members of Law Enforcement, and took special pride in caring for their families. He also served his colleagues as the past president of the Arizona Funeral Directors Association, founder of the AFDA Foundation for Children, and was one of ten trustees in the United States and Canada for the York Children's Foundation.
Lee also impacted many through his involvement in the community. He was a Charter member of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the Northeast Phoenix Boys and Girls Club, and charter member of the board of Trustees for Humana Hospital. He was very active in the North Phoenix Chamber of Commerce and was an organizer of the Paradise Valley Chamber of Commerce Political Action Committee.
Lee was an active member in many civic organizations including the Paradise Valley Rotary Club, Lion's Club, Paradise Valley Silver Trowel Lodge #29, F. & A.M., Order of Eastern Star, American Legion Post #107, and he served as Trustee for the Phoenix Boys Choir.
He was also a longtime member of Paradise Valley United Methodist Church.
Lee is remembered by many in the funeral industry as a colleague, teacher, mentor and friend.
He is survived by his wife Sonia Scott; daughter, Stephanie Chavez of Tempe, AZ; sons Michael Scott, of Houston, TX and Timothy Scott of El Paso, TX; sisters, Mary Alice Bassham of Wiley, TX and Billie Marie Guerin, of Phoenix, AZ and a brother, Howard Scott of Texas; 9 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren.
He is preceded in death by his daughter, Jaclynn and a grandson, Jonathan.
Visitation will be, Thursday, 5 to 7 pm, Funeral Services, Friday, 10:00 am, both at Shadow Mountain Mortuary, 2350 E. Greenway Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85022.
Interment to follow at Paradise Memorial Gardens.
Memorial Contributions may be made to AFCCA Foundation for Children, azfoundationforchildren.org or c/o AZFCCA, 1418 N. Scottsdale Rd., PMB 541, Scottsdale, AZ 85257.
Please visit www.shadowmountainmortuary.com to leave on line condolences for the family
Obit published in the Arizona Republic/azcentral
Credit For The Following Story.
By Megan Cassidy
The Republic | azcentral.com
Thu Feb 13, 2014 10:49 PM
About 15 years ago, Lee Scott heard the news that a Phoenix police officer had been shot and killed in the line of duty.
He phoned the main line of the Phoenix Police Department and was forwarded to the employee-assistance unit. Scott, founder of Shadow Mountain Mortuary, had a simple proposal. Let him take care of the entire funeral service, he said. At no cost.
The officer was just one of at least a dozen fallen Phoenix police officers who would be laid to rest under Scott's respectful watch at no cost to the families, police Cmdr. Tracy Montgomery said.
All Scott asked for in return was anonymity.
Montgomery wouldn't learn for several years that Scott had quietly done the same thing for others, often for homeless people or other forgotten members of the community.
Scott, 79, died Monday, and today, Phoenix police will give Scott a final, dignified farewell, a small gesture of thanks for the kindness he showed for so many of their brethren for so many years.
At his visitation Thursday, five members of the Phoenix police honor guard marched in unison to present American flags to Scott's children. Today, Phoenix Police Chief Daniel V. Garcia will present a flag to Sonia, Scott's wife of 55 years.
Montgomery, who leads the Phoenix police honor guard, said it is a symbolic gesture. The honorary flag presentation is typically reserved for officers who fall in the line of duty, she said.
"He did so much for so many," she said. "It's a great honor to be able to do that for him."
Scott, a member of the Marine Corps who served in the Korean War, will also receive full military honors.
Montgomery said officers were skeptical the first time Scott contacted the department.
"We thought, ‘That doesn't make sense,' " she said. "We kept waiting to hear what's the catch."
The average cost of a basic funeral is $3,000 to $6,000.
This wasn't about Shadow Mountain Mortuary, Scott told her. He unequivocally forbade the Police Department from speaking about the gesture publicly.
Scott's family allowed the information to be revealed this week.
Neither Sonia nor their children can say when Scott first offered his services. He wasn't the type to have mentioned it to anyone.
Their son, Michael Scott, has been with the Houston Police Department for 30 years. The family believes that is what inspired Scott's compassion for law-enforcement officers who died in the line of duty, even if he never said so out loud.
"(He thought), ‘If something happened to my son, how would I feel?' " Michael said. "When he saw these things happening in the community, he reacted to them."
Millie Armstrong, who worked with Scott for nearly a quarter-century, said it's impossible to remember how many people he helped. Scott would waive the cost of the coffin and funeral services, and he fostered partnerships with burial grounds and funeral coaches.
He served veterans, the homeless, those without families and the unclaimed. He buried a newborn who was thrown away at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. He prepared the bodies of some of the French tourists who died in a flash flood in Antelope Canyon near Page.
Although Scott eventually sold the company, Shadow Mountain Mortuary maintained its name, and Scott continued to do contract work until the day he died.
"It was his baby," said his daughter, Stephanie Chavez. "He just retired on Monday."
Montgomery said Scott set the tone for other Valley mortuaries that have become generous in the community.
"His genuine interest in people having a final, dignified burial was just so overwhelming," she said. "It was hard at times not to tell Lee's story."
Mr. Scott served his country proudly in the United States Marine Corps and served during the Korean War.
He founded Shadow Mountain Mortuary in 1975 and served countless families in the funeral industry, for 50 years.
He was called on often, to serve fallen Members of Law Enforcement, and took special pride in caring for their families. He also served his colleagues as the past president of the Arizona Funeral Directors Association, founder of the AFDA Foundation for Children, and was one of ten trustees in the United States and Canada for the York Children's Foundation.
Lee also impacted many through his involvement in the community. He was a Charter member of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee of the Northeast Phoenix Boys and Girls Club, and charter member of the board of Trustees for Humana Hospital. He was very active in the North Phoenix Chamber of Commerce and was an organizer of the Paradise Valley Chamber of Commerce Political Action Committee.
Lee was an active member in many civic organizations including the Paradise Valley Rotary Club, Lion's Club, Paradise Valley Silver Trowel Lodge #29, F. & A.M., Order of Eastern Star, American Legion Post #107, and he served as Trustee for the Phoenix Boys Choir.
He was also a longtime member of Paradise Valley United Methodist Church.
Lee is remembered by many in the funeral industry as a colleague, teacher, mentor and friend.
He is survived by his wife Sonia Scott; daughter, Stephanie Chavez of Tempe, AZ; sons Michael Scott, of Houston, TX and Timothy Scott of El Paso, TX; sisters, Mary Alice Bassham of Wiley, TX and Billie Marie Guerin, of Phoenix, AZ and a brother, Howard Scott of Texas; 9 grandchildren and 3 great grandchildren.
He is preceded in death by his daughter, Jaclynn and a grandson, Jonathan.
Visitation will be, Thursday, 5 to 7 pm, Funeral Services, Friday, 10:00 am, both at Shadow Mountain Mortuary, 2350 E. Greenway Rd., Phoenix, AZ 85022.
Interment to follow at Paradise Memorial Gardens.
Memorial Contributions may be made to AFCCA Foundation for Children, azfoundationforchildren.org or c/o AZFCCA, 1418 N. Scottsdale Rd., PMB 541, Scottsdale, AZ 85257.
Please visit www.shadowmountainmortuary.com to leave on line condolences for the family
Obit published in the Arizona Republic/azcentral
Credit For The Following Story.
By Megan Cassidy
The Republic | azcentral.com
Thu Feb 13, 2014 10:49 PM
About 15 years ago, Lee Scott heard the news that a Phoenix police officer had been shot and killed in the line of duty.
He phoned the main line of the Phoenix Police Department and was forwarded to the employee-assistance unit. Scott, founder of Shadow Mountain Mortuary, had a simple proposal. Let him take care of the entire funeral service, he said. At no cost.
The officer was just one of at least a dozen fallen Phoenix police officers who would be laid to rest under Scott's respectful watch at no cost to the families, police Cmdr. Tracy Montgomery said.
All Scott asked for in return was anonymity.
Montgomery wouldn't learn for several years that Scott had quietly done the same thing for others, often for homeless people or other forgotten members of the community.
Scott, 79, died Monday, and today, Phoenix police will give Scott a final, dignified farewell, a small gesture of thanks for the kindness he showed for so many of their brethren for so many years.
At his visitation Thursday, five members of the Phoenix police honor guard marched in unison to present American flags to Scott's children. Today, Phoenix Police Chief Daniel V. Garcia will present a flag to Sonia, Scott's wife of 55 years.
Montgomery, who leads the Phoenix police honor guard, said it is a symbolic gesture. The honorary flag presentation is typically reserved for officers who fall in the line of duty, she said.
"He did so much for so many," she said. "It's a great honor to be able to do that for him."
Scott, a member of the Marine Corps who served in the Korean War, will also receive full military honors.
Montgomery said officers were skeptical the first time Scott contacted the department.
"We thought, ‘That doesn't make sense,' " she said. "We kept waiting to hear what's the catch."
The average cost of a basic funeral is $3,000 to $6,000.
This wasn't about Shadow Mountain Mortuary, Scott told her. He unequivocally forbade the Police Department from speaking about the gesture publicly.
Scott's family allowed the information to be revealed this week.
Neither Sonia nor their children can say when Scott first offered his services. He wasn't the type to have mentioned it to anyone.
Their son, Michael Scott, has been with the Houston Police Department for 30 years. The family believes that is what inspired Scott's compassion for law-enforcement officers who died in the line of duty, even if he never said so out loud.
"(He thought), ‘If something happened to my son, how would I feel?' " Michael said. "When he saw these things happening in the community, he reacted to them."
Millie Armstrong, who worked with Scott for nearly a quarter-century, said it's impossible to remember how many people he helped. Scott would waive the cost of the coffin and funeral services, and he fostered partnerships with burial grounds and funeral coaches.
He served veterans, the homeless, those without families and the unclaimed. He buried a newborn who was thrown away at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport. He prepared the bodies of some of the French tourists who died in a flash flood in Antelope Canyon near Page.
Although Scott eventually sold the company, Shadow Mountain Mortuary maintained its name, and Scott continued to do contract work until the day he died.
"It was his baby," said his daughter, Stephanie Chavez. "He just retired on Monday."
Montgomery said Scott set the tone for other Valley mortuaries that have become generous in the community.
"His genuine interest in people having a final, dignified burial was just so overwhelming," she said. "It was hard at times not to tell Lee's story."
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