Douglas Scott

The stars have lost their sparkle.

The sun has dimmed its light.

The moon has stopped its glimmer.

The world does not seem right.

Douglas Scott passed away unexpectedly at home on October 1, 2024, in Anthem, Arizona. Douglas was born in Glasgow, Scotland on January 7, 1946, to his loving parents, William and Ina Scott. Doug’s life was a masterclass in how to fix things, love family, care for the sick, help those in need and overcome obstacles. He had an interesting and meaningful life.

Doug’s family immigrated from Scotland to the Detroit area of Michigan when he was about twelve years old. His thick Scottish brogue made him “difficult” to understand, so his American school teacher asked for an interpreter. This annoyed Douglas immensely, since he was “speaking the Queen’s English,” so he started to make a concerted effort to ditch his accent.

When Doug graduated from high school, the Viet Nam War was raging, and he joined the U.S. Air Force. Although not a U.S. citizen yet, he was sent to serve as a corpsman (medic) and stationed in Alaska, where he became an avid skier. His main military duties involved flying air medevac from Viet Nam in the C-130 Hercules planes and caring for the wounded as the soldiers were taken to Elmendorf Air Force Base. This gave him incredible experience, which he later used as an emergency room nurse.

When Doug was discharged from the Air Force, he headed back to Michigan and went to nursing school. That career was interrupted when he moved to New Mexico and became a city of Albuquerque police officer and also became a U.S. citizen. He worked in the force for six years, until he was injured on the job. He left police work, moved to California in 1977 and worked at Alta Bates Hospital in Berkeley, as a registered nurse. He went on to obtain a Bachelor's degree in health administration.

At Alta Bates Hospital, Doug met Judy Bluhm and for both, it was love at first sight. What an amazing love story it was! Judy was a single woman with two little girls, Tammy and Kelly. Doug and Judy got married in 1981 and shared a strong and beautiful bond that made each day of marriage feel like a gift from God.

After living in the San Francisco Bay Area for fifteen years, Doug and Judy moved to Phoenix, Arizona in 1991. Doug became the clinical educator of the operating room at Scottsdale Osborn Hospital from 1991 to 1997. He then joined the international company, Orthopedic Systems, Inc. (later known as Mizuho OSI) as a sales and technical consultant for specialty surgical tables. He was probably in every operating room in Arizona and New Mexico, training nurses and surgeons on the new equipment and providing case support. He was admired for his knowledge, skill and experience in all things related to orthopedic surgical procedures. After a successful career(s) in healthcare, Doug retired at age 70.

Retirement didn’t stop Doug. He and Judy had a small horse ranchette in Skull Valley, Arizona that required work and attention. He stayed busy caring for stray cats, feeding birds, attending to four horses, a rooster and numerous dogs. He enjoyed the outdoors, the barn, animals and working on the irrigated pasture. Doug loved Skull Valley.

Doug also loved beaches, cooking bacon (a master at it), tinkering in the garage, driving his tractor around the ranch and helping anyone in need. Due to the amount of work involved, and Doug’s various health issues, the ranch was sold in 2021. Doug and Judy settled on a simpler life in the Anthem Country Club. He traded in the tractor for his beloved red Mercedes convertible.

Doug was a proud father to Kelly Payne and Tammy Brockett and his four wonderful grandsons, Sean McEntire, Kevin McEntire, Connor McEntire, and Brandon Payne. He loved his family and was proud of them. He is also survived by his great-grandchildren, Brodee Jean and Bronson McEntire, and Anberlin and Arabella McEntire.

Doug is preceded in death by his parents and his brother Ian. He is survived by his sisters Libby and Irene, as well as many nieces and nephews. His life was a testimony to hard work, love and resilience. He was generous and kind. Giving to others was in his DNA. He spent a life devoted to helping others and seeing the best in the worst of circumstances. He was the rock to his family and to his wife, Judy, the love of her life.

Doug loved trees and probably planted over one hundred in our various homes. He loved animals. He regularly donated to charities like St. Mary’s Food Bank. For over twenty years he supported foster children in Uganda through Hope for Kids. To honor Doug, plant a tree, donate to a foodbank, feed a feral cat, adopt a pet, or sponsor a child who needs your help. Mostly, live your best life in his honor.