Status on GPa Scott Day 11, Saturday, 4-26-08

We came in at 7 again this morning and talked with the nurse who said that she had removed the pillow from under his head and kind of put his head over the edge of the bed to help with the breathing airway. We went into the room to find him breathing easier than yesterday, without the moaning exhales or the congested coughs. We stayed about an hour and then went back to the motel where we have been staying the last week, for breakfast. It's about 2 minutes max away. After breakfast, we returned to dad's room to find things unchanged from when we had left about 45 minutes earlier. Greg woke up this morning feeling better than the day before, but after breakfast, didn't feel good at all. He layed down on the chair-to-bed they have there in the room to rest. The doctor stepped into the room and spoke with me briefly and then went and checked on dad. He indicated that this type of breathing could go on for quite some time. He also made mention of us being there and was impressed by our kindness and consideration and faith. It was a sincere and completely appreciated compliment. I was reading the paper and quite tired from a short nights rest and I kind of dozed for a few minutes. Suddenly, I felt something very warm on the back of my neck that got my attention. I sat up and looked over and listened to dad and his breathing. It had become quite shallow from only 30 minutes before. I went over and stood close to him. His breaths were extremely shallow. I woke Greg up and told him that I thought that he was getting really close to departing. He stood on the other side of the bed and felt that the end was near as well. We both let him know that we loved him and that we would miss him, but that it was okay for him to go, and that we would be with him again someday. A few more shallow breaths, an attempt at another breath, then another breath, and then two last attempts to breathe, but his strength was gone, and and at 9:26 a.m., so was he.
William Raymond Scott passed from mortality on April 26, 2008 in Spokane, WA, after a lengthy battle with liver cancer. He was born in Denver, CO on November 12, 1933 and raised by his grandparents James and Julia Scott in Glenwood Springs, CO. He was a hard working man, having been raised on a farm. He worked in the oil fields and in construction in his early years. However, he really found his niche in exploration drilling, working in the Western states, primarily in Utah -- in search of gold, silver, and coal. He relocated to Kennewick, WA in 1981 and worked at the Hanford Nuclear Facility on a drilling rig for a couple of years before returning to Utah. He then worked in a stone quarry during the renovation of the Manti, Utah temple. For the last twenty years of his career he turned to driving truck, traveling across the country -- preferring to stay in the 11 western states so he could visit family scattered across the West. He finally turned in the keys and retired at the age of 71.

His retirement years were filled with short vacations to visit family and in giving service to others. Service was a significant part of his life and was an indicator of who he really was -- a loving, caring man. He enjoyed the great outdoors and being able to fish or shoot guns occasionally. The most important things to him were his faith in Jesus Christ and his love for his family.

He was preceded in death by his wife Betty. He is survived by his sons and their wives: Gregory and Amy Scott, Rancho Santa Margarita, CA and Bradley and Brooks Scott, Kennewick, WA. Scott family grandchildren: Robert, David B., Christopher, Alesha, David M., Derek, Alexis, and Dustin. Scott family great grandchildren: Elise, Eva, Ethan, and Nicholas.

A viewing will be held at Muellers Funeral Home, 1401 S. Union in Kennewick on Tuesday, April 29, from 6-8 pm. Another viewing will be held in Utah Tuesday May 6, (with more details to follow) immediately followed by a graveside service and interment held at the Murray City Cemetery.

We love you dad and will miss you.