Meridian
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Robert Barham Family Funeral Home
Visitation
Service
Graveside services will be held Monday, December 21, 2020, at 2:00 p.m. at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Cemetery
Obituary
https://www.robertbarhamffh.com/obituary/clyde-scott
Graveside services for Clyde “Buddy” Scott will be held Monday, December 21, 2020, at 2:00 p.m. at Mississippi Veterans Memorial Cemetery, with Rev. Davey Wilkerson officiating, burial to follow. Robert Barham Family Funeral Home is honored to be entrusted with arrangements.
Col. Clyde “Buddy” Scott, age 79, of Meridian passed away Wednesday, December 16, 2020, at The Veteran’s home in Kosciusko, MS from complications due to Alzheimer’s. Buddy graduated from East Memphis High in 1958, with many accolades including varsity baseball and was chosen all Memphis his senior year, Hi-Y team basketball captain, ROTC Rifle Team, and a member of TKO fraternity.
After graduation, Buddy went to Memphis State and was Air Force ROTC and close to go into Air Force Reserves for a short time. During that time, he was sent to Lackland AFB, TX, to train at the Aircraft Maintenance School. Completing that, he was active duty for 6 months as enlisted personnel. His unit was activated during the Cuban Missile Crisis, after which he went back to Memphis State joining AFROTC to finish college. He graduated in 1965 and received a regular commission as a 2nd Lieutenant, to train at Mather AFB California. He was then ordered to Electronic Warfare School for intense training. He trained in every aspect of electronic equipment, specializing in Soviet threats to aircraft that were guided electronically. He later received his master’s degree in counseling from Troy State in Alabama. This degree served him well as a drug and alcohol counselor with the Air Force along with regular duties. It would also serve him well in the many programs and volunteer assignments with kids here in his adopted home, Meridian.
After graduation from EW school, he was sent to Robbins AFB, GA, to serve on a B-52 which was stationed there to serve with Strategic Air Command (SAC). This was a 24-hour, 365 day, a year alert status, ready to launch at a moment’s notice. At SAC his crew was selected top crew more than once. He upgraded to inspector status. His crew was the only crew to score 100% in all areas of evaluation. In 1969, he went to Arkansas AFB in Little Rock to be on a B058 “Hustler” crew. There he flew in the B-58 until it was decommissioned in 1970. The he was sent to Loring AFB in Loring, Maine, back to the B-52 and SAC where he became an instructor to the Standardization Evaluation team. The superb skills, he garnered with his section allowed him to transfer to Barksdale, Louisiana and be a member of the elite inspection team. Before those orders came in, he got orders to Hurlbert Field, Florida to train in the AC-130 gunship and headed to Vietnam. As the Weapons System Officer to defend the crew from enemy threats such as ground fire, missiles, or any airborne threat. He was stationed at Ubon AFB, Thailand from summer of 1972 until 1973. There he was also on the Wing Commanders Staff as the wing electronic warfare officer. Back from Vietnam, he was back to Hurlburt Field as an AC-130 instructor. After a year he transferred on base to the Air Grounds Operation School as an instructor teaching military personnel about the threats they could expect in Vietnam.
In 1978, the Mississippi Air National Guard in Meridian, MS was converting their primary aircraft from F-101 to the RF-4C. The Air Force gave them six of the airplanes at Alconbury. That December he flew one of them from England to Meridian. While here, he spoke with ANG Commander, Colonel Biff Pittman of the mission of the RF-4C’s. Col. Pittman found the experience Buddy gained over the years would be good for his group. He joined the Meridian ANG when Pittman wanted him to ask the Air Force to release him from activity and he would give him a job as a technician but put him on active duty shortly. By 1979 he was back in Meridian as an intelligence technician and flying in the RF-4C. Here he met and married his wife of over 40 years, Marilyn Moffett.
Later he was able to convert to active duty and stayed until he retired in 1989.
During his military career he started as a basic enlisted man and retired as a Lt. Col., promoted by the State of Mississippi to full Colonel.
One of the first ways he contributed to his new hometown even before retirement started, along with Eddie Smith and Wade Thompson, he worked to form the first Boys and Girls Club of Meridian. They further chose the first director and he worked with the director at the building getting it in shape to open to the children of Meridian. He spent countless hours at the club, working on the building and with the kids he loved. But before there was a Boys and Girls Club or Hope Village, there was Hilltop House for Girls. He worked on the house itself and helped at least one girl with her eventual career in law enforcement.
In 1989, he became the first DARE officer working with the Sheriff’s Department. When Hope Village came along, he volunteered there as a general “do-it-all” man. Wherever he was asked to repair or mend something he was always there. At one point in time, he attended all classes and work courses to be a good Lauderdale Emergency Management director when he got that job. After one and half years with LEMA, he was asked to return as the DARE officer and jumped at the chance to work with “his kids” again.
Among his other jobs, he was asked by his supervisor to work as the first director of the Ag Center. Once it was up and running, he went into other meaningful endeavors such as volunteering with the Red Cross and the Military Veterans Center. Caring so much for kids, he acted as a substitute teacher as time would allow.
As though this were not enough, Buddy also volunteered his time and expertise to work with Volunteers in Ministry building handicap ramps for those unable to afford one. He stayed with this until Alzheimer’s kept him from finding locations of ramp builds.
The big thing for him was when he was recommended for and received the Unsung Hero award. Not once, but twice. It truly humbled him.
He loved his “hometown” of Meridian and showed it in the way he worked with, and for the people of this county. He was a member of Lauderdale United Methodist Church for over 20 years and later, Gateway Church of Lauderdale.
His family has missed him at the Thanksgiving table for too many years. We now rejoice in knowing he will know us by name when we meet him in heaven with the God her served his entire life through his many volunteer programs.
He is survived by his wife of over 40 years, Marilyn Moffett Scott of Meridian; daughters, Michelle Scott Cooke (John) of Collierville, TN, Jennifer Hendrix of Birmingham, AL, and Heather Scott Smith (Mike) of California; grandchildren, Mary Kate Cooke Jenkins (Dan); great-grandchildren, Ella Jane Jenkins and Declan Jenkins, all of Collierville, TN, Lt. Trevor Scott Cooke, Ansley, Madison and Jack Hendrix of Birmingham, AL., Chloe Smith of California; sister, Suellen Scott Ruffin (Stan); numerous nieces, nephews, and in-laws whom he loved and who loved and admired him.
Family and friends may sign the online guestbook at robertbarhamffh.com.