Harold L. Scott

REMEMBERING the LIFE of HAROLD LEVINESS SCOTT

Harold LeViness Scott, 74, of Long Beach, California, passed away peacefully on December 22, 2016, surrounded by his wife and children. Born in Los Angeles on May 26, 1942 to Harold John and Charlotte Evelyn Scott, he first lived in Van Nuys and then Lancaster, CA for most of his childhood, then moved to the Long Beach area in his early adulthood, where he lived for the rest of his life.

Harold, or “Scott/Spike” (as he was best known to his friends and family), was a warm-hearted, loving, and devoted husband, father, brother, uncle, grandfather, and friend to many. He was extremely loving and proud of his four children: Angela Scott, of Long Beach; Joseph Scott, of Long Beach; Steven Scott and his wife Stacy, of Seattle; and Ann Marie Lockamy and her husband Tyler, of Long Beach. He is also survived by his wife and best friend, Kathleen (Kwiatkowski) Scott; his sister, Ada Shannon, of Campbell, CA; his nieces Kelly Shannon, Kim Picchi, and Kristy Shannon and their families; his brand-new granddaughter, Penelope Scott, of Seattle, WA; his father-in-law Paul E. Beattie of Hyde Park, VT and his family; his uncle Col. Elwin Vernon, ret., of Anacortes, WA and his family; and other loving cousins, extended family members, and friends.

Scott was a firefighter and long-time engineer for the Los Angeles City Fire Department for 38 years, beginning work for the department in 1969. He was a third-generation firefighter – his maternal grandfather worked for FDNY, and his father worked for LAFD as well. He joined the department in 1969 and was stationed all over the city of Los Angeles, including Fire Stations 17, 22, 51, 58, 64, and 80 (at LAX). For the last 10 years of his career, he was stationed at Fire Station 112 on Fireboat 2 in San Pedro (in the Port of Los Angeles). He was an engineer on the historic 1925 fireboat Ralph J. Scott (old Fireboat 2) until its decommissioning in 2003, and was among the first crewmembers of the Port’s new Fireboat 2, Warner L. Lawrence, now one of the largest fireboats in the world. He was also a licensed realtor (since 1967) and handled both real estate sales and investment properties throughout the Southern California area for nearly 50 years.

As a child, he lived in Van Nuys with his family until he was about 8 years old, then his family moved to Lancaster, California, where they built a house and had a ranch. He loved riding the family’s horses, Ginger and Pistol, around his desert home – leaving early in the morning and coming back at nightfall for dinner. As he grew, he worked as a library page at the local library, bucked hay for local ranchers in the Lancaster area, raised chickens to sell, and even raised a prize-winning turkey for the Future Farmers of America (but then became so attached to “Tom” that the family couldn’t eat him for Thanksgiving). In his early adulthood, he eventually moved to the Long Beach area, living in a beachside apartment in Seal Beach before moving to Long Beach. He attended college at UCLA and Cal State University Long Beach with a focus in microbiology, and for a few summers he worked as a Clown Diver for the Aquacades. He also worked for 5 years as a Los Angeles County Lifeguard, worked for 3 years as a lineman with the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, and held various other jobs before earning his real estate license at 25 and joining the LA City Fire Department at the age of 27.

I n June of 1971, Scott met his future wife, Kathleen Kwiatkowski, at the old Rene Realty office on 2nd Street in Belmont Shore (where he first began working as a realtor). She walked into the office to inquire about apartments to rent in the area, and the story goes that as soon as he saw her, he turned to the real estate agent next to him and said that she was the girl he was going to marry. He ended up showing her a few apartment listings and the rest was history – they were married just 3 months later and enjoyed 45 happy years of marriage and family together. Despite his busy schedule with the fire department and real estate, he still made plenty of time to attend his kids’ music and dance classes, drive to various sporting practices and events (rowing, swimming, water polo, soccer, softball, and gymnastics), and participate in countless other afterschool activities. He enjoyed reading about historical subjects (especially World War II, the American Revolution, and the Civil War), listening to music, and watching Seinfeld and Johnny Carson reruns along with his favorite movies (Casablanca, Beauty and the Beast, and For Love of the Game, to name just a few). This Christmas he would also have been watching some of his favorites -- A Christmas Carol, Home Alone, It’s a Wonderful Life, and A Christmas Story. More than anything, however, he enjoyed being surrounded by friends and family, sharing stories (he was a consummate storyteller), sitting in the backyard with family dog Oliver and enjoying a glass of wine, and enjoying life in whatever form it took. No matter the situation, he took everything in stride and was always steady as a rock. One of his favorite lines was “It’s all part of life’s rich pageantry” -- and through his eyes, life was rich to behold. He was a practical joker with a warm heart, a big smile, full of lots of silly jokes – and when needed, a hug – for everyone. He had a special fondness for dogs, cats, babies, and little old ladies – especially the grumpier ones. He had a knack for always bringing levity to difficult times and helping others to make light of their situations, no matter how serious. Though a regular Sunday parishioner at St. Bartholomew’s Catholic Church for decades, he also started attending daily morning masses with his wife Kathy in 2013. He was officially baptized and confirmed into the Church in September of 2014, where he enjoyed many friendships with his church family, volunteered as an usher at 11am Sunday masses, and freely helped with KP duty during coffee and doughnuts after mass in the Social Hall (where he was known to be a big tipper and a willing taster as well).

It is a supreme understatement to say that Scott will be greatly missed, as his loss leaves a big void in the lives of his family and friends – and his friends were many, as he made friends everywhere he went. He will never be far in spirit from his loved ones, and his memory will live on long into the future through the hearts, minds, laughter, and colorful stories of all those who met him, knew him, and loved him.

The family extends a special thank you to the doctors, nurses, respiratory technicians, and staff at St. Mary's Medical Center in Long Beach and at Kindred Hospital in Westminster for their loving care and support. They also wish to thank Luyben Dilday Mortuary of Long Beach; Fr. Michael Reardon and Brian Archambault of St. Bartholomew’s Catholic Church; and the many friends and family members who assisted in various ways with managing and executing all of the final arrangements.

Funeral services for Harold Scott will be at St. Bartholomew's Catholic Church in Long Beach on Wednesday, December 28, 2016. A rosary will be held before the funeral at 5:30pm, followed by the funeral mass at 6pm, and a reception afterward. Harold will be laid to rest the following day, Thursday, December 29, 2016, at 11am at All Souls Cemetery in Long Beach, California. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Los Angeles City Fire Relief Association’s Widows, Orphans, and Disabled Firemen’s Fund, or to the St. Bartholomew Catholic Church Community Group (to feed the homeless).

Luyben Dilday Mortuary (562) 425-6401