Opal F. Scott, 91, of Brookings, died Feb. 4, 2009, at a local hospital as a result of a stroke. She was born March 15, 1917, in Foss, Okla., to Arive M. and Pearl Walker Ford. She was raised on the family's chicken farm in Foss and, following high school, stayed on the farm and cared for her grandparents until her marriage in 1938 to Fay Lauderdale. The couple moved to Hollywood, Calif., and initially lived with her brother, Roscoe. They later made their home in Redondo Beach, Calif. Mr. Lauderdale entered the Army during World War II, and she began working for an aircraft manufacturing company (now Boeing). She worked as an expediter at the company for 40 years, before retiring in the early 1980s. Mr. Lauderdale died in the mid-1980s. In 1990, she met Brian Scott in Redondo Beach, and married him in 1992. In 1993, the couple purchased property in the Brookings area, and settled into the community. In 2001, the Scotts opened Brian Scott Gallery. Mrs. Scott brought good energy to her surroundings, enjoyed greeting customers at the gallery, and made many friends in the community. Each year, she looked forward to an annual open-house celebration of her birthday. She was an open, peaceful, patient and loving person who believed that enough love could cure anything, her family said. While in California, she was active in her local Christian Missionary Church congregation. She loved to garden, and made many needlework and crochet projects. She loved animals, especially her cats and her dog. In Brookings, Mrs. Scott was a member of the Red Hat Society. Survivors include her husband, Brian, of Brookings; brother and sister-in-law Gaston and Joann Ford of Brookings; sister-in-law Helen Ford of Medford; nephews Don Ford and wife Jeanine of Portland, and Ken and Kathy Ford of Santa Rosa, Calif.; and several grand- and great-grandnieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband Fay Lauderdale, and a brother, Roscoe Ford. A come-and-go memorial reception will be from 2 to 3:30 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 8, at Redwood Memorial Chapel, 1020 Fifield St., Brookings. Memorials may be made to the Opal F. Scott Scholarship, which she established, c/o Brookings-Harbor Scholarship Foundation, P.O. Box 1870, Brookings, OR 97415.

Scott estate gives $130K for scholarships Written by Charles Kocher, Pilot staff writer September 12, 2009 07:00 am A gift of more than $130,000 has been made to the Brookings-Harbor Scholarship Foundation from the estate of the late Opal Scott.

The funds came from a charitable remainder trust that Scott and her husband Brian set up just before they moved to Brookings in 1990.

"Opal had to leave school after the ninth grade to help her grandparents," Brian explained this week, "and she was always acutely aware of the value of education."

The Brookings-Harbor Scholarship Foundation provides college scholarships for graduates of area schools, funded by both annual donations and the earnings from its endowments. "On behalf of the Brookings Scholarship Foundation I would like to express our gratitude for the profoundly generous gift from the Opal Scott estate," said BHSF President Doug Nidiffer. "This wonderful gift will benefit the students of our area for many years to come."

This summer, the foundation wrote a total of $59,650 in scholarships for members of the high school Class of 2009 and a total of $15,500 for past graduates. In previous years, the annual scholarship totals have been more than $100,000.

The Scotts set up identical charitable remainder trusts as they prepared to move to Brookings from southern California, according to Brian. A similar gift will eventually come from his estate. The couple opened the Brian Scott Gallery after moving to Brookings.

"We brought that (the trusts) as a gift" to their new community, Scott explained. "We though the scholarship foundation was the most appropriate."

Brian describes Opal as "highly intelligent," but still realizing the potential of higher education.

Overcoming her shortened education," he said, "Opal's strong work ethic, honesty and intelligence led to a highly successful life. She was always so happy to help others reach their full potential."

The scholarship foundation has also received several memorial donations in recent months, including those honoring Jack Anderson, Pauline Olsen, Don Harroun, Bob Krebs and Don Farmer.

The Brookings-Harbor Scholarship Foundation is an independent, non-profit organization operated by a board of volunteers.

For more information about the foundation, or to make donations, contact any of the board members: Doug Nidiffer, Dr. Wayne Paulson, John Babin, Clar Byers, Kathleen Dingle, Norma Fitzgerald, Jim Kemp, Charles Kocher, Susan Lunsford, Sue Musser, Jan Westbrook.
Donations can be sent to the Foundation at P.O. Box 7673, Brookings, 97415.