William “Bill” Scott, age 89 of Wall Lake, IA, passed away peacefully on Thursday, July 23, 2026, at home surrounded by his loving family.
William Thomas Scott was born on October 4, 1936, to Thomas and Lorena (Otke) Scott at their farmhouse on the hill in the small town of Herring, IA. Bill attended country school and later attended Wall Lake Community School. He graduated from Wall Lake High School with the class of 1954. Bill played the tuba in high school as well as sang a solo at his graduation. He also went to Iowa State for a short time where he played the tuba in their marching band.
Bill enlisted in the United States Army in 1956. He served as a paratrooper and medic in the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg in North Carolina. On December 29, 1957, while still in the Army, Bill married the love of his life, Janice Hawks at Peace Lutheran Church in Wall Lake where Bill was both baptized and confirmed as a child. He was a faithful member of his church where he served as an Elder and Treasurer. He was also a member of the American Legion Chalon Post 262 of Wall Lake.
In 1958, Bill was honorably discharged and returned home to farm with his family. Bill and Janice were blessed with three children, Joel, Jeanna, and adopted daughter Jennifer. Bill loved caring for the land and farmed the family farm until becoming a full-time rural mail carrier for the USPS. They moved to town in Wall Lake in 1987.
Bill was very mechanically inclined and enjoyed working on things. He also loved being outdoors; listening to the birds sing as well as watching the hummingbirds brought him simple joy. He had a green thumb and enjoyed tending to his blueberry bushes and tomato plants. Some of his favorite hobbies included fishing, hunting, working in the yard, singing, playing his tuba, and building model aircrafts.
Bill especially loved his family. He always enjoyed attending his grandchildren and great-grandchildren’s activities. Spending time with those he loved meant the most to him. He will be missed dearly by all who knew and loved him.
Left to mourn Bill’s passing are his wife of sixty-nine years, Janice Scott of Wall Lake, IA; son Joel (Debbie) Scott of Lake View, IA; daughters Jeanna (Phil) Bender of Ewing, KY, and Jennifer Zabel of Fort Dodge, IA; grandchildren: Jacob (Madison) Carlson of Des Moines, IA, Jillian (Jessica) Lock of New York, Brooke Peterson of Glidden, IA, Brandon (Morgan) Kramer of Lanesboro, IA, Shelby (Dallas) Brant of Cedar Rapids, IA, Megan (Jeff) Crowell, Jason Helton, and Amy Briggs all of St. Louis, MO, Jude Bender of Cedar Rapids, IA, and David Bender of South Carolina; great-grandchildren: Isabella, Clay, Presley, Levi, Tyler, Alexis, Logan, Gavin, Niley, Ameya, and Zalyn; great-great grandchildren Rory and Elcee; many nieces, nephews, other extended family members and friends.
He was preceded in death by his parents, Thomas and Lorena Scott; parents-in-law Frank and Gladys Hawks; sisters Inez Mahan and Joyce Hoffman; brothers-in-law and sisters-in-law: Bill Hawks, James Hawks, Melvin Hawks, Karen Olsen, Elma Zieman, and Marvel Burchell.