Walter A. Scott, 91, rural Starkweather, died Saturday, May 16, 2015, at Trinity Nursing Home in Minot.

Walter was born January 23, 1924, to Francis and Louisa (Ames) Scott on the farm homesteaded by his grandfather. He was the oldest in a family of five girls and two boys. He attended school at the Banner country school and Starkweather High School. He quit school after the 11th grade to help on the farm, but went to UND in Grand Forks that fall to study mechanics and welding. Walter was sitting on the roof of a building outside the UND stadium that mild December 7, 1941, watching a baseball game through binoculars and listening to the play-by-play on the radio when the broadcast was interrupted to announce that the Japanese had bombed Pearl Harbor. Later that year he went to work at the Todd Shipyard in Seattle, WA. His father's poor health and family needs prevented him from enlisting in the Army with his friends and he returned home to the farm and never left until moving to Burlington in the fall of 2012.

A match-making cousin introduced Walter to Joan Pankratz. They were married at the Swiss Mennonite Church in Alsen on October 2, 1953. They made their home for the next 60 years on the Scott homestead near Starkweather. Five children were born to them: Randy, Darreld, Kelby, Janet, and Kevin.

Walter raised cattle and sheep and farmed small grains, and did custom slaughtering for his father-in-law (Pankratz Hardware & Locker). He retired from farming in 1978 and began a second career as a meat cutter at Aafedt's Meat Market in Munich. He retired as the oldest butcher in the state in 1993 and spent his days on his beloved farm from which he never wanted to leave. Declining health forced him to leave the farm in 2012.

Walter loved the Lord, he loved his family, he loved his farm, and he loved helping his neighbors. Many came to him over the years for welding and mechanical help. He was known as a kind, gentle, and patient man. He enjoyed helping others more than doing his own work.

Surviving family includes: his wife of 61 years, Joan; sons, Randy Scott of Bismarck, Darreld Scott of Burlington, daughter Janet Lindeman of Cleveland,TN; and son Kevin Scott of Sioux Falls, SD; 12 grandchildren, and 9 great-grandchildren; sisters, Carol Jabs of Devils Lake, and Arlene McDougall of Everett, WA; and many nieces and nephews.

Walter was preceded in death by: his parents, brother Arden, sisters Loretta, Mazie, Esther, son Kelby and granddaughter Mary.

Funeral service will be at 1:00 PM on Friday, May 22, 2015, at the Swiss Mennonite Church in Alsen, ND.
Interment will be at the Alsen Cemetery.
Visitation will be Thursday, May 21, 2015 from 3:00 to 6:00 PM at the Thomas Family Funeral Home in Minot, ND.