Obituary: Janet Cosby Scott

 

Janet Cosby Scott, 82, of Oak Ridge, passed away on July 25, 2016.

Janet was born in Homewood, Alabama, to Daniel Milton Cosby and Elizabeth Beavers Cosby on December 21, 1933.

She attended and graduated from Sarasota Florida High School. She graduated from Auburn University and was a loyal alumni and fan. While at Auburn, she was president of the Women’s Student Government Association and president of Kappa Delta Sorority.

On March 27, 1955, she married Thomas H. Scott. She was an elementary school teacher for five years prior to becoming a fulltime and a dedicated mother of her two children, Jan and David. Typical of her commitment, she served as Girl Scout leader for Jan’s troop, leading a trip to Mexico, and attended 130 of the 132 college basketball games played by her son, David.

Janet was a strong supporter of the Oak Ridge High School sports programs and regularly attended football and basketball games.

She was involved in many organizations and groups. She willingly and efficiently assumed leadership roles at all levels of responsibility. She was an active member of First United Methodist Church of Oak Ridge. She participated in United Methodist Women programs at the local, conference, and national levels, and was president of the local unit for 12 years. She served several terms on the church Administrative Board. She regularly taught a Sunday School class and was currently teaching the Yahweh Class. She headed up the Fellowship Night dinner clean-up group, proofread the church newsletter for many years, decorated many bulletin boards, and was a persistent recruiter for a variety of church programs.  She also participated in the Oak Ridge Church Women United.

She was a devoted member of Charlotte Hensley’s exercise class for about 40 years.

She and Tom were involved in the application of the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator in the College of Engineering at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville and at Oak Ridge High School, along with several other groups.

She was an enthusiastic traveler and attended some 32 National Elderhostel programs with her best friend, Tom. She also participated in the UTK Faculty Women’s Club and its travel group.

Throughout her life, she and Tom lived in Newport, Rhode Island; Auburn, Alabama; Idaho Falls, Idaho; Gainesville, Florida; Aiken, South Carolina; and Oak Ridge, Tennessee.

She is preceded in death by her parents and sister, Elizabeth (Betty) Cosby Stevens.

Janet is survived by her husband, Tom; her children, Janet (Jan) Coleman Stocks and husband John, and David Scott and wife Michelle; and her sister, Sarah (Sallie) Cosby Thayer. The highlight of her life was her three grandchildren: Elizabeth Grace Scott, Daniel Thomas Scott, and Cole Inman Stocks. She is also survived by her nephew, Andy Scott, and nieces, Mary Kay Burnette and Amy Bass.

The funeral will be held at 3 p.m. on Saturday, July 30, at First United Methodist Church of Oak Ridge. Following the funeral, there will be a reception in the Multipurpose Room.

Memorials may be given to TORCH (Trinity Outreach Center of Hope) and the Free Medical Clinic of Oak Ridge.