Thomas Lee Scott

Tom is survived by his wife of 46 years, Linda (Langston) Scott, sons Mark (Lynn) and Greg, daughter Lee Estrella (Juan) and son Lance, as well as five grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. He is pre-deceased by son Tod Scott.

Born on September 29, 1930 in Kansas City, Missouri to Frank and May Scott he was the youngest of six children. Although his father passed away when Tom was three, Tom was a solid student in school and athletics earning letters in basketball and football. It was in his mid-teens that Tom began what would become his lifelong pursuit of weightlifting for his own fitness and as a business venture.

His early success as a bodybuilder winning Mr. Heart of America in 1948, continued while in the US Navy during the Korean War aboard the USS Natchaug from 1951-1954. Interspersed between tours of Japan and the Formosa Strait, he competed and won several sanctioned bench press contests against other seamen during his Navy career. Tom received his honorable discharge in 1954.

Tom began his career in 1954, helping to pioneer the health club industry in the Midwest. He started in Kansas City and continued on to St. Louis and Springfield, Missouri. Tom then moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma to open his own health club in 1964. He relocated to Atlanta, Georgia in 1966, opening five health clubs under the name Palm Springs and European Health Spa. His Atlanta clubs later merged into what became the largest health club chain in the United States; European Health Spa, with 600 clubs nationally.

Upon the sale of European Health Spa, for which Tom briefly served as President for the new ownership group, Tom relocated his family to Jacksonville, Florida in 1978, and opened American Fitness Center, later named American Family Fitness Center until disposition of the clubs in 1990.

In his retirement, Tom’s pursuit of his personal fitness continued. He again began competitive weightlifting, winning and setting AAU National Bench Press Records at the age of 69 and 70. He continued to compete for over a decade, until he was 81 years old.

Tom will be buried in Jacksonville, FL on Monday, February 10th. There will be a service with full military honors at 12:30 PM, Lane 1 at National Cemetery – Jacksonville, 4083 Lannie Road, Jacksonville, FL 32218

In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to the National Kidney Foundation www.kidney.org/donate or Community Hospice, 4266 Sunbeam Road, Jacksonville, FL 32257