Memorial Services for Raymond Scott, age 73, of O'Neill, will be 10:30 am Saturday, March 11, 2017 at Christ Lutheran Church in O'Neill with military rites provided by the O'Neill American Legion Simonson Post #93.

Memorial visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church.

Memorials may be directed to the Holt County Animal Shelter in O'Neill.

Raymond, a longtime educator in Nebraska schools, died Wednesday, March 8, 2017, in Norfolk, Nebraska, at Faith Regional Hospital following a courageous struggle against pulmonary/respiratory failure.

Raymond Seth Scott was born November 18, 1943, in Kearney, Nebraska, to Raymond and Frances (Nau) Scott.  Raymond graduated from Kearney High School in 1961.  That same year he enlisted in the United States Air Force where he was a member of the Air Force Band stationed at Ellsworth Air Force Base, Rapid City, South Dakota.  In 1962 he married Kaye Smith.  Upon his discharge from the Air Force, he returned to Kearney and married Karen Baker in 1969.

Raymond graduated from Kearney State College in 1973 with a music education major.  He taught at Elwood for three years.  He and Karen moved to O'Neill in 1976 with daughters Jenny Sue and Jodi Lynn.  He taught at Page Elementary School for twelve years and O'Neill High School for seventeen years serving as girls' golf coach to several state tournament qualifying teams and leading a number of student tour groups to Europe.   Raymond retired from teaching in 2005 but continued to work with the National History Day program at OHS, taking two teams to the national competition in Washington DC.

He was a member of Christ Lutheran Church serving as an elder for several years.  Raymond was a HAM radio operator and also a member of the Summerland Golf Course.

Raymond loved traveling, especially to England and France.  He also enjoyed target shooting and fishing.  He was an avid advocate for animals and had many canine and feline companions throughout his life. Raymond loved sharing his passion for music, learning, and golf with his students and his talent, humor, compassion and dedication served to inspire students both in and out of his classroom.  He will be sorely missed by many.

Raymond was a loving husband and father.  He leaves behind his wife of 47 years, Karen of O'Neill; two daughters, Jenny Scott, of Campbell, Nebraska, and Jodi Hyde, and husband, Ivan, of New Orleans, Louisiana; six grandchildren:  Michael Sparks (Taryn) of Broomfield, Colorado; Branson Martin, New Orleans, Louisiana; Alec Martin, New Orleans, Louisiana; Rebecca Brown (Tim), Hastings, Nebraska; Meghan Rockefeller, Kearney, Nebraska; Tyler Rockefeller, Campbell, Nebraska; one sister, Julie Anne Seier, and husband, Bill,  Lincoln, Nebraska; and his faithful Shetland sheepdog companions, Hobson and Mercedes.

He was preceded in death by his grandparents, Julius and Olive Nau and Helen Higgs; his parents, Raymond and Frances Scott; and an infant daughter.