Gerald Vincent Scott passed from this life on Aug. 9, 2014 from complications following leukemia treatment in El Paso. He was born on March 3, 1946 in El Paso to Charles and Mary Ellen Scott, the fourth of six children. He attended St. Pius X Elementary and was a 1964 graduate of Cathedral High School. Gerald served four years as a machinist mate in the U.S. Navy.
He was stationed on the USS Frank Knox during the time of the Vietnam War. Gerald was a graduate of Sul Ross State University with a BS in geology. Most of his career was involved with mining and geology. He had worked as a prospector, a mine superintendent and a mine manager in Brewster, Presidio, Culberson and Hudspeth counties of far West Texas. Gerald was a skilled welder, mechanic and had a passion for most things old and unusual. He had spent the past two decades of his life pursuing a passion for junk; creating metal sculptures from salvage. His works of art were shown in public installations ranging from the Chamizal National Memorial to the Ellen Noel Art Museum in Odessa.
One of his pieces The Alligator was awarded best of show at the 1997 Ellen Noel Metal Arts Show. Gerald was known in Van Horn for his art cars and was part of a video produced by the Weather Channel that featured the art scene in West Texas. He participated in art car events in Austin and Alpine. Gerald designed and built Railroad Park in Alpine and was an advocate of native plants and low water demand landscaping. He was a Texas Master Naturalist and enjoyed observing the natural flora and fauna of the Trans Pecos. Gerald taught art one year at Van Horn Junior High, when a teacher was needed at the last minute.
Every Fourth of July for the past 30 years Gerald had put on his costume and taken on the role of “Uncle Samâ€, participating in parades and events around the Trans Pecos. In his young adulthood he served as a princess escort in the Sun Bowl Carnival in El Paso. He enjoyed helping others and was a kind and gentle soul that will be missed by all who knew him. Gerald is survived by Joy, his wife of 35 years, sisters Mary Scott of El Paso, Martha Scott and Gordie Sanborn, his brother-in-law of Alpine; brothers Michael Scott and Gini, his sister-in-law of Virginia Beach, Va, and John Scott and Olga Scott, his sister-in-law of El Paso, nieces Helsa Scott of El Paso, Ellen Scott of Denver, Colorado, Susan Scott of Virginia Beach, VA and nephews Pablo Meza and Veronica Ortega of El Paso and Michael Patrick Scott of Virginia Beach, VA. A celebration of Gerald’s life will be hosted by his family at 1106 West Broadway in Van Horn on Saturday, Aug. 16 at 2 p.m.
