Walter James Scott

Walter J. Scott, LTC (RET, US Army), attorney at law (JD, Georgetown), and beloved husband, father, grandfather, great grandfather, uncle, brother and friend, died peacefully at age 83 in his home, surrounded by his family, on February 20, 2020.

Walter is survived by his loving wife Isabel and by his children Teralyn, Skip (Cheryl), Kim (Gary) and Tamara (Bill) with former spouse Therese; stepchildren Rick (Mary Ann), Ines (Bill), and Bob (Mi Suk); grandchildren Jorde (JJ), Nick (Mallori), Brett, Colin, Connor, Taryn (Michael), Peter, Kirsten, Ryen, Max, and grandchildren by marriage Michael, Alex, Sabrina, Nicholas, Chris, Jenna, Danielle, Kara, Ricky; great grandchildren Sloan, George, Nora, Henry and Marin; siblings Charles, Ginny (Jack), and many nieces, nephews, extended family, friends and beloved dog Linus. He is predeceased by his father Charles, mother Elizabeth, sister Pat and dog Charlie Brown.

Walter was born into an Irish Catholic family in New York City. Throughout his life, Walter was passionate and loyal about many things. As a New Yorker, Walter loved baseball and was an avid fan of the Yankees, especially Mickey Mantle. His passion for baseball extended beyond the diamond as you could often find him at the food stand picking up his favorite ballpark hot dogs and peanuts. If Walter wasn’t watching baseball, there was a high chance you could find him watching or reading the news. Walter loved to stay knowledgeable and up to date with any military, political, or world news … and welcomed healthy debate on these topics. Outside of these passions, Walter was a man of deep faith and reflection. He enjoyed the quieter things in life such as gardening, reading, and writing - ultimately leading Walter to write a book of his own, A Soldier’s Story. Walter’s values were greatly reflected by the men he drew inspiration from and called his icons: Mantle, President John F. Kennedy, Arnold Palmer, General Douglas MacArthur, and his uncle, Monsignor Walter Scott.

Above all, Walter was most devoted to and constantly surrounded by his family and friends. You could always find Walter entertaining his family with stories of times gone past, and wearing his Notre Dame Fighting Irish hat with his two dogs, Charlie Brown and Linus, on his lap – named in homage to his favorite comic of all time, Peanuts. He also loved his family at ‘The J’ and the camaraderie of those friends as they solved world problems at ‘The Table of Knowledge’, with occasional exercise thrown in.

Walter was a strong believer in the importance of education and hard work. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree from St. Peter’s College and then was commissioned as an officer in the US Army. Walter often said military service was a godsend. He proudly served in the Korean and Vietnam Wars, receiving medals and commendations for service including the Bronze Star (Vietnam), Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal (1 Oak Leaf Cluster), Vietnam Campaign Medal (4 campaign battle stars), Vietnam Service Medal, National Defense Medal, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Expert Infantryman Badge and Airborne Wings.

While in the Presidential Honor Guard (3rd Infantry Regiment, the ‘Old Guard’) in Washington D.C., Walter served as Officer-in-Charge of President John F. Kennedy’s State Funeral and is memorialized in a famous photograph; specifically, he’s the soldier standing next to JFK, Jr. saluting his father’s coffin. Walter also stood guard in the Capitol Rotunda as General MacArthur laid in state. As a witness to history, Walter often shared memories from these and other events of historic importance with family and friends. He was later interviewed by Dallas’ Sixth Floor Museum to preserve his own part in President’s Kennedy funeral.

During this time frame, Walter also served as Legislative Liaison at the Pentagon and received his Juris Doctorate from Georgetown University Law School. He served as an attorney in the Judge Advocate Generals Corps for the remainder of his 20-year military career. Upon retirement as a Lieutenant Colonel, he moved his family to Texas where he opened his own law office and successfully practiced law for the remainder of his career. Walter was a long time member of the Texas Bar Association, Dallas Bar Association, Disabled American Veterans, American Legion, and the Military Officers Association of America. He also was a devout Catholic and parishioner at All Saints Catholic Church.

Walter will be greatly missed but his legacy lives in the countless lives he has touched.

In lieu of flowers, please make donations to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation or All Saints Catholic School. Services will begin at 10AM on Tuesday February 25, 2020 at All Saints Catholic Church in 5231 Meadowcreek Dr. Dallas, TX 75248. Graveside service will be at 11AM on Wednesday February 26, 2020 at DFW National Cemetery, 2000 Mt. Creek Parkway, Dallas, TX 75211.