Reverend Harold D Scott, Sr.

Reverend Scott, 100, of the Clarkdale Community, passed away Wednesday, July 5, 2023, at his home surrounded by his loving family.

To celebrate his life, a homecoming celebration will begin at 12:00 p.m., Friday, July 7, 2023, at Robert Barham Family Funeral Home. Family will receive friends from 10:00 a.m. to 11:45 a.m. prior to the service. Reverend Ronald Leonard will officiate, and service music will be provided by Mr. Michael Gibson and grandson, Mr. Scott Rosales. Interment will immediately follow at Jones Chapel Church of God Cemetery where a flag will be presented to honor the memory of Bro. Scott’s service to his country. Pallbearers will include his grandsons, Enrique Carbia, Chad Copeland, Jason Holladay, Scott Rosales, Philip Scott and great grandson, Cody Copeland. Honorary pallbearers are his youngest great grandson, Alex Rosales, and family friends, Charles Compton and Gary “Bones” Davidson.

Bro. Scott was preceded in death by his parents, Lonnie and Zona Scott; brothers and sisters-in-law, James Edward Scott and wife, Ellaine; Barner B. Scott and wife, Ruby; Lonnie Ray Scott and wife, Myra; Robert Vollie Scott and wife, Betty; sisters and brothers-in-law, Sara Frances Hill Woods and husband, Melvin; Eva Nell Tabb and husband, Lon; Tommie Lou Aden and husband, Manerd; brother-in-law, Edwin Williams.

He will forever be cherished in the lives of his family, which includes his wife of almost 75 years, Charlotte Scott; children, Beth Rosales and husband, Val of Warner Robins, Georgia; Harold D. Scott, Jr. and wife, Ximena of Sterlington, Louisiana; Leslie Scott and wife, Cindy of Meridian, Mississippi; sister, Charlie “Sue” Williams of Madison, Mississippi; his ten grandchildren, Scott Rosales and wife, Heather of Hamilton, Georgia; Mandy Carbia and husband, Enrique of Atlanta, Georgia; Lindsey Copeland and husband, Chad of Sterlington, Louisiana; Phyllis Holladay and husband, Jason of Meridian, Mississippi; Philip Scott and wife, Emily of Hattiesburg, Mississippi; his five great grandchildren, Cody Copeland, Layne Copeland, Kaelyn Carbia, Alex Rosales and baby girl Scott arriving January 2024 as well as a host of nieces, nephews, cousins, friends and extended family.

The Scott family would like to give a special thanks to the staff at the VA, Total Health Care, Accent Care Hospice, Brown’s Family Sitting Service and VISAR Home Health.

Memorials may be made as donations to The Baptist Children’s Village in Ridgeland, Mississippi; St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or to Gideons International in lieu of flowers.

His story

Rev. Harold D. Scott Sr. was born on April 5, 1923, and went to be with his beloved Lord and Savior at the age of 100 on July 5, 2023, at home surrounded by those who loved him most, his family. He was born to the late Lonnie and Zona Durrough Scott, affectionately called Paw and Mama Scott. Harold was the sixth born of ten children. Mama Scott was so proud of her “preacher boy” and always had something to give him any time she saw him, a handkerchief, a $5 bill, anything. Bro. Scott said his mama was the “sweetest woman to ever live”. He went on to grow up in the Crossroads Community in Mantee, Webster County, Mississippi. His home place was one mile from Crossroads Baptist Church, which is where the community got its name. Everyone who knew Bro. Scott knew he loved and served the Lord with all his heart. He was saved at an early age at Crossroads Baptist Church and ultimately surrendered to the ministry and was licensed and ordained at that very church.

Bro. Scott attended Cumberland School for both elementary and high school. He graduated from Cumberland High School in Spring 1942, now called East Webster High School. Harold attended one semester at Wood Junior College in the Fall 1942, but left Spring 1943 to come home and farm and help the family. He deferred from the service for a little while because he had two other brothers already enlisted. Bro. Scott’s name was eventually taken off the deferment list in January 1944 and he joined the Navy. He did not have a middle name, so he added “D” as his middle initial while in service. Bro. Scott completed his basic training at Naval Station Great Lakes in Illinois. He was then transferred to Naval Base San Diego in California to await orders for his permanent base location. While in San Diego he was stationed on the U.S.S. Princeton. He said they lined up 162 sailors on the ship deck, going down the line, starting with the first sailor asking, “How much education?” One by one, the sailors replied until they got about halfway through the line to him, and he replied, “one semester of college” to which they said, “you come with me”. They dismissed the other sailors and took him to the office of weather service. He was assigned the job of sending balloons up to collect weather data. He was the only sailor assigned this job. He said, “I assume they only needed one guy.” He said he was thankful, because all the other sailors had to sweep the deck. The U.S.S. Princeton was on a mission to take back the Pacific, but on October 24, 1944, the ship was bombed. Many sailors were lost in the explosion and at sea. Bro. Scott was in the water for hours before being rescued. News of the ship sinking came out, but parents had no way of knowing if their sons survived. Sailors were given pen and paper and asked to write letters home to notify family that they survived, but he actually made it home before his letter arrived. The Navy sent the surviving sailors home for a month to be with their families. He then returned to California and was stationed at Brown Field Base until he was honorably discharged in May 1946.

In September 1946 Bro. Scott started back to Wood Junior College where he would eventually meet his future wife, Charlotte. It was a community school. There was a truck brought in once a week to commute students into town to the theater. He said students would all meet between classes on the front steps of the buildings. One day, he and his friend were walking up the street coming from town, and he pointed to Charlotte standing on those steps saying, “I’m going to date her”. He said, “my friend laughed at me, but I did!” Bro. Scott ended up transferring to Mississippi College in Clinton, Mississippi where he would hitchhike back home to her every weekend. They married August 8, 1948, at LaGrange Methodist Church by Rev. Hammontree and honeymooned at a cabin on Choctaw Lake. After they married, Charlotte moved to Mississippi college so they could be together. After college, Bro. Scott taught high school math for two years at Greenwood Springs High School in Monroe County, Mississippi while he also pastored a small church. Together they decided they would move to New Orleans for him to attend seminary. After seminary, Bro. Scott committed his life to being a faithful servant of the Lord, pastoring churches all over the state of Mississippi. After “retirement”, he continued to serve as interim pastor for several churches over the years. He preached his last sermon in 2017 at the age of 94; and although he no longer filled the pulpit, he continued his ministry of prayer for six more years. In addition to his ministry, Bro. Harold loved to garden as well as travel with Mrs. Charlotte and family, in his spare time.

His wife, best friend, helpmate and lifelong companion, Charlotte, loved, supported and cared for him until the moment he peacefully departed his earthly life at the age of 100. She, along with his children, grandchildren and great children celebrated his 100th birthday on April 5th. He along with family celebrated Charlotte’s 95th birthday on June 22 and on August 8, they would have been married 75 years. What an absolute blessing he was to those he served, but most importantly, to us, his family. The legacy he has left behind is something none of us could put value on. He was a man of few words but witty and so wise with impeccable character. An example for us all to look up to and follow. How lucky we all were to have him as our Daddy and Pappaw. Bro. Scott’s proudest accomplishment was most certainly his family, including his wife Charlotte and three children, Beth, Harold D. and Leslie. And don’t forget those grandkids and great grandkids. He would light up when they walked into the house for a visit. We are comforted beyond measure to know where he is and to have the promise that we too will see him again one day.