Obituary of Tucker M. Scott, Jr.

Tucker M. Scott Jr., a resident of New Canaan and a long time resident of Darien, passed away on June 17, 2011. Born on March 20, 1920 in Newport News, Virginia he is the son of the late Tucker Murray Scott and Pauline Parramore Scott. He was married to Melissa Mason Scott for 58 years. Tucker grew up on the Eastern Shore of Virginia where his forebears arrived in 1632. He graduated from Eastville High School and while attending Citizen Military Training Camp the summer following, he noticed a small ad announcing a competition for a scholarship to attend Randolph Macon College. Tucker won the scholarship and graduated from Randolph Macon in 1941 with a degree in Chemistry. He attended George Washington University the summer following and was accepted in the University of Virginia Medical School starting the fall of 1941. The summer following his first year of medical school Tucker attended night classes at the University of Pennsylvania while working as a metallurgical engineer intern at Westinghouse. Tucker left UVA Medical School at the end of 1942 to join the Navy and to fight in World War II. He was assigned to train as a communications officer and was sent to Communication School that the Navy set up at Harvard University. During WWII Tucker served as the Communications Officer on the USS Lavaca, an attack transport ship that carried troops and supplies between the Admiralty Islands and the Philippines. On September 2, 1945 with his ship anchored next to the USS Missouri in Tokyo Bay, Tucker witnessed from the fly deck of the Lavaca the signing of the Instrument of Surrender by General MacArthur and Japanese authorities on board the USS Missouri, ending World War II in the Pacific. Mr. Scott started his career in advertising and broadcasting at the Compton Agency in 1947 and in 1949 was hired by Batten, Barton, Durstine & Osborn as the Head of the TV Media Department, the first advertising department to deal with the leading edge technology of television. In 1953 Mr. Scott started his 20 year career with John Blair and Company to serve as Vice President of Sales until he retired in 1973. Tucker treasured his experiences as a member of the Country Club of Darien. Tucker authored the published history of the first 50 years of the club. Tucker was also a member of the Nutmeg Curling Club, the Mariner Sands Country Club in Stuart, Florida, and the Jonathan Club in Los Angeles. He was a member of the Broadcast Pioneers. He ran the broadcast portion of General Eisenhower's Presidential Campaign in 1952. Tucker carried a life time membership card for Tom Saxe's Sittin' Starin' N' Rockin' Club. He is a 30 year member of the Ivanhoe Lodge of the Masons, and was active in supporting the Boy Scouts of America and a committed volunteer for St. Paul's Church in Darien during the 80's. Tucker is survived by his brother Stanley Fitchett Scott; three children, Tucker Scott III and his wife Elaine; Sandra Dapprich and her husband Doug and son Jay; and Martha Robbins and her husband Todd and their children Mary, Rebecca and William. Tucker's wife, Melissa Mason Scott, predeceased him. A Memorial Service will be held at Noroton Presbyterian Church, 2011 Post Road in Darien on Tuesday, June 28, 2011 at 11:00am. A private family burial was held with full military honors at Spring Grove Cemetery in Darien. Memorial gifts may be given to Randolph Macon College Annual Fund, www.rmc.edu/givenow (Randolph Macon College, Alumni Office, P.O. Box 5005, Ashland, Virginia 23005). www.lawrencefuneralhome.com Funeral Home: Edward Lawrence Funeral Home 2119 Post Road Darien, CT USA 06820