Billy Dave (B.D.) Scott, PhD. (1931 - 2012)

B. D. Scott, Emeritus Professor of Biology, Northwest Missouri State University, a resident of Maryville since 1960, died May 11, 2012, age 80. He was born May 19, 1931 in Floydada, Floyd County, Texas, the son of James Zant and Ruth Lorena (Johnston) Scott. On August 31, 1951 he married Janet Evelyn Weir and to them were born three children: David Carlton (Susan) Scott, Kansas City; Karen Elizabeth (Brock) Pfost, Maryville; and Camellia Diane (Rob) Barmann, Platte City.

His Bachelor of Science in Biology was earned from Texas Tech University. He was a member of the Texas Tech Men’s Glee Club. He was accepted into the graduate program at Corvallis, Oregon. Instead of enrolling at that time, he served in the Army from 1952-54 during the Korean War. His service was spent in the Military Police training cadre at Ft. Dix, New Jersey. After the service, he returned to Texas Tech where he earned his Master of Science in Botany, just as his first child, David, arrived. Daughter Karen was born four years later in Lincoln, NE, as he was working toward his PhD at the University of Nebraska. The PhD was conferred on him at Oklahoma State University, Stillwater, soon after the birth of his third child, Camellia.

He accepted a position in 1960 at Northwest Missouri State College (now University). During his tenure in the Biology Department, he received several National Science Foundation Awards, served on numerous academic committees, was an advisor to Tau Kappa Eplison fraternity, a pre-nursing advisor, and also sponsor of the Pre-Med Club. He founded the Junior High Science Olympiad contests held on the Northwest campus. For ten weeks during the summer of 1969 he was a "Visiting Professor" at the University of Illinois, Champain-Urbana, and was 1 of 30 participants in a 1972 National Science Foundation Summer Institute at the University of Alabama, Tuscaloosa. Bill was awarded a six-month sabbatical leave in 1983 to visit gardens in the South-Eastern United States. After a teaching career spanning more than 40 years, advancing from undergraduate assistantships to university professor, Bill retired from Northwest in May of 1991.

In the Maryville community, he was a member, secretary-treasurer, and vice-president of the Maryville Host Lions Club; charter member and second president of Nodaway County Genealogy Society; and served as chairman of the credit committee of Northwest Missouri Regional Credit Union. Genealogy was a passion of Bill and Janet’s, and for more than 20 years they traveled the United States, self-publishing six family histories. He was a creative person, a designer, innovator, and gardener.

B.D. is survived by his wife, his three children and his eight grandchildren: Gretchen Scott (and fiancé Reed Phillips), Emily Scott, Lizz and Jessica Pfost, and Eric, Jason, Matthew, and Janessa Barmann.

His body has been cremated; the family will hold a memorial at a later date. Contributions may be made to the B.D. and Janet Scott Biology Scholarship in care of the Northwest Foundation or to SSM Home Health Care of NW Missouri.