Wilma Dean Scott

Loving wife, mother, grandma and friend.

Wilma Dean Scott was born in Birmingham, Alabama on December 20, 1940, the daughter or Annie B. Tarver and Theodore Calloway, Jr.(deceased) formerly of Birmingham, Alabama. She passed away peacefully at the age of 82 on February 26, 2023, in Lakewood, Washington, surrounded by loved ones.

Wilma leaves behind a legacy of being a devoted and loving wife, raising three children and being an extraordinary servant-leader within all communities she touched.

Wilma Dean Scott is the daughter of Annie Tarver and Theodore Calloway (deceased) formerly of Birmingham, Alabama. She graduated from Fenger High School, Chicago, Illinois in 1958. She went on to attend Northern Illinois University, DeKalb and completed Woodrow Wilson Jr. College, Chicago in 1961, where she received her Associates Degree with honors. It was at this time she met the love of her life during a youth church program, Col. Rodney G. Scott USAF (Ret.) of Kinloch, Missouri.

Wilma worked as a broker with the Highway Insurance Company, Chicago, Illinois, 1963- 64, before marrying Rodney on June 14, 1964. The newlyweds moved to Webb AFB, Big Springs, Texas where Wilma took on the position as the Co-Chairman of Family Services and Rodney completed his officer’s training.  Wilma returned home and continued being active in the Lilydale Progressive Baptist Missionary youth ministry while her husband served a tour in Vietnam.

Wilma reunited with Rodney at Sheppard AFB, Texas where the first of their three children, Rodney II, was born. Wilma and Rodney were stationed at various locations around the U.S. and Europe to include Chicago, where their first daughter, Richelle, was born; Lowery AFB, Colorado; Travis AFB, California where their last child, Renee, was born; Montgomery AFB, Alabama; Scott AFB, Illinois; Wilma and the family were also stationed at Rhein Main AB, Germany where they spent holidays and summers traveling the European Autobahns in search of adventure and new experiences.  Wilma settled in Lakewood, Washington following her husband’s retirement from the military in 1988.

In 1994, Wilma returned to school to complete her higher education. She graduated from Pierce College and University of Washington, Tacoma with a Bachelor of Arts, Liberal Studies, concentration in U.S. History. She graduated June 13, 1997, not only with honors and complementing her love of history and education, but also showing us all it’s never too late to learn.

Her greatest joys in life were spending time with her family, her church, traveling, laughing, learning (Tanglewords), baking and cooking, and performing extensive community service.  She was a servant-leader, taking on variety of roles within the community from tutoring students one-on-one in schools, serving as Treasurer or Welcoming Chairman of the Officer’s Wives Club, to working as an officer for the Clover Park Citizens Committee and holding various level PTA positions to include district representative for Pierce County, where she received the prestigious PTA Acorn Award. She volunteered regularly at the American Lake VA Medical Center.  Wilma earned the title of Volunteer of Year on several occasions to include from the Clover Park School District, American Lake VA Medical Center, and McChord Chapel 1. She was an active member of the McChord AFB Chapel community where she served as a Protestant Chapel Council member, Sunday School Teacher, Bible Study Fellowship graduate, prayer ministry member/leader. Wilma regularly visited church members at hospitals and nursing homes until her health no longer permitted.  Wilma was also an active member in the community where she was involved in a variety of civic organizations to include: the Tuskegee Airmen, Sam Bruce Chapter; Air Force Association; Gold Star Wives; the American Legion, Urban League; United Negro College Fund; Officer’s Wives Club; Theta Phi (History Honor Society); and responsible for promoting African-American history and culture programs in the Tacoma-Seattle area.

She is survived by son Rodney Scott II of Mountlake Terrace, Washington; daughters Richelle Brown (Tazh) of Huntsville, Alabama and Renee Scott-Caine (Warren) of St. Louis, Missouri; grandchildren Audriana Scott, Jacob Deante and Jeylyn Dowdell, Olivia Dowdell-Harris, Joshua, Johnathan and Nyla Brown, and Warren Caine II; sister-in-law, Charlotte M. Ingram; seven nephews, Orville, Gerald (Kathy) and Ronald Kirk; Daryl and Hubert Scott; Lamont and Scott Ingram; three nieces, Catherine (Nigel) Graham, Mary Scott and Debbie (Randy) Cathy and a host of great nieces and nephews, cousins, other relatives and friends.

Wilma will be laid to rest Thursday, 9 March at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery, St. Louis, Missouri.