John Guerard Scott

John was born on February 18, 1939, a native of Graham, NC, and the youngest son of William deRosset Scott of Graham and Valeria Prioleau Scott of Charleston and Columbia, SC. After his father’s early death, he was raised with his two older brothers, William deRosset Scott, Jr. and Charles Prioleau Scott, by his mother and grandfather, Charles A. Scott, founder of the National Bank of Alamance.

John attended Virginia Episcopal School in Lynchburg, Virginia and graduated from North Carolina State University with a degree in engineering. During his senior year he married the love of his life, Stephanie Leslie of Morganton, NC. The young couple lived in Cameron Village while completing their college educations.

After graduation, John was employed by Southern Bell in Charlotte, NC. He served two years as a Lieutenant in the United States Army, serving at Picatinny Arsenal in New Jersey. He later retired as a Captain in the U. S. Army Reserve. John served in the engineering field for Southern Bell and was one of the leaders in the computerization of their organization. In 1965 John moved to Greensboro, NC and entered the financial world and made that his life’s work. He and Stephanie started their family with the arrival of their daughter Leslie.

John joined the firm of Hornblower & Weeks, Hemphill, Noyes and became a friend of B. Thomas Ward. They formed the lasting partnership of “The Ward & Scott Group” and even as the firm name changed, they remained the same, becoming a legend in the financial world. John retired in 2009 and the business is now led by his son, John G. Scott, Jr. (J). As a Senior Vice President of Smith Barney and a Certified Investment Management Consultant, John served his community as a board member and investment committee chairman of the Community Foundation of Greensboro. In 1998 this organization honored his service with the Thornton H. Brooks Leadership Award.

John was a lifelong Episcopalian, baptized and confirmed at the Church of the Holy Comforter in Burlington, NC. He was a faithful member of Holy Trinity in Greensboro and a past vestry member, junior warden, chairman and co-chairman of major capital campaigns, investment committee chairman, finance committee member and outreach committee member.

Along with a busy business and spiritual life, John enjoyed a full family life with his wife and two children and his two brothers and their families. He and Stephanie did a lot of traveling in this country and Europe. They enjoyed their away time with an historic cottage on the coast in Beaufort, NC, and later a mountain retreat in Blowing Rock, NC where their large and growing family could gather. He greatly enjoyed entertaining, golf outings and his poker and bridge games. John always enjoyed a full social life. He was a past member of the Kiwanis and Rotary Clubs of Greensboro, the Greensboro Country Club, the Blowing Rock Country Club, The Dunes Club and his favorite, Granville International Relations and Lecture Society (G.I.R.L.S.), his beloved walking group.

While dealing with a number of health issues, John decided to retire when, as he said, “I’m not as sharp as I was.” John lost both of his brothers and then the day after Thanksgiving 2018 he suffered a stroke. He and Stephanie moved to Well Spring Retirement Community in December 2019. A little over a year ago John suffered more health issues and moved to Willow Way Memory Care at Well Spring where he has enjoyed many friends and an active life. John’s family is so grateful to the staff of Willow Way for their loving and professional care.

John is survived by his loving wife, Stephanie Leslie Scott; son John Guerard Scott Jr. (J.) and his wife Meredith Brooks Scott, daughter Anne Leslie Scott Alexander and her husband Charles McNeill Alexander (Chuck) and grandchildren, Charles McNeill Alexander, Jr. (Charlie), Charlotte Avery Alexander (Avery), John Guerard Scott, III (Jack) and Grace McKesson Scott (Gracie Mac). He is also survived by brother-in-law William Augustus Leslie III (Cindy) and sisters in law Miriam Leslie Green (Barry) and Ann Patterson Scott, and by numerous Scott and Leslie nieces and nephews and great nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his parents and his beloved brothers William deRosset Scott, Jr. (Bill) and Charles Prioleau Scott (Charlie).

The family requests that memorial gifts be made to Holy Trinity Episcopal Church Foundation, 607 North Greene St., Greensboro NC 27401, The Well Spring Employee Assistance Fund, 4100 Well Spring Drive, Greensboro, NC 27410, or The Children’s Home Society, 604 Meadow Street, Greensboro NC 27405.

A memorial service for John will be held at Holy Trinity Episcopal Church in Greensboro on Tuesday November 1st at 3:00. The internment will follow immediately in the Columbarium. The family invites you to join them for a reception in the Haywood Duke Room after the service.

Memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at www.haneslineberryfhnorthelm.com for the Scott family.