Gary Lee Scott, 76, of Bluffton, passed away Friday morning, Feb. 15, 2019, at his residence.

Gary was born in Sheffield, AL, on Dec. 9, 1942, to George Lee and Carrye (Threet) Scott.  On Sept. 12, 1961, in Mishawaka, IN, Gary married his high school sweetheart, Pat Jeffries; she survives.

Gary was a 1960 graduate of Penn High School. In his early career, after working a variety of jobs he felt compelled to seek a teaching career to make a difference in young people's lives. He graduated from Manchester College in 1971 and started working at New Palestine High School as a teacher, assistant football and head wrestling coach.

After five years at New Palestine, Gary worked for three years as an elementary PE teacher, head football and girls track coach at Tri High School. In 1978, he received his master's degree in secondary education from I.U.P.U.I. and after his time at Tri High School, Gary was hired by Norwell High School in 1979 as a health and PE teacher, driver's training instructor, girls track coach and head football coach. At Norwell, he served as the girls track coach from 1979 until 1988 and head football coach from 1979 until 1999, and coached boys track and cross-country for several years. As Norwell's head football coach, his teams won many championships, culminating in his final season in 1999 as the Class 3 State Runner-Up and Northeast Hoosier Conference Coach of the Year.

Gary was honored with many different coaching awards during his career, including his 2003 induction into the Indiana State Football Hall of Fame. His legacy remains in the young men and women who he not only coached in sport but mentored in life.

In his free time, Gary enjoyed golfing with his friends, reading three to five books a week, and studying genealogy. During his retirement years, he and Pat spent their winters in Orange Beach, AL.

Aside from his wife of 58 years, Gary is survived by four daughters, Shelley Hall of Noblesville, Kelly Soracco of Ft. Wayne, Angie Honegger of Bluffton, Kara Scott (Jeremy Mendonsa) of Seattle, WA; six grandchildren, Andrew and Aaron Hall, Reid and Lincoln Soracco, Caleb (Fern) Honegger, and Anna Honegger; a brother, Tom Scott of South Bend; and his beloved cat, Whiskers.

Visitation will be Tuesday, Feb. 19, 2019, from 2:00 until 8:00 PM, at Goodwin – Cale & Harnish Memorial Chapel in Bluffton.  A private memorial service will be held at a later date.  Burial will be at Elm Grove Cemetery in Bluffton at a later date.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to The Children's Autism Center, in Fort Wayne.