A memorial celebration for Lawrence "Larry" Bruce Scott, 85, will be at 2 p.m. Dec. 22 at the Carson City Senior Citizens Center.
Dr. Scott died Dec. 2, 2003. He was born June 23, 1918, in Calgary, Alberta, to David Lockhart Allen and F. Blanche Lodge Scott.
He received a bachelor's degree in chemistry at age 20 from the University of California, Berkeley, and a master's degree and Ph.D. in organic chemistry at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.
During World War II, he worked at the University of Michigan on a top-secret project for the National Defense Research Committee. The five-member team developed a process to produce high explosives (RDX, HMX) after production facilities in Italy and England had been destroyed by explosion.
Dr. Scott went to work for Shell Oil Co. in January 1946 where he was part of a two-man team that developed a system to increase the production of Penicillin by 60 times, making it available for thousands of soldiers and civilians when demand exceeded supply. For the balance of his 33 years at Shell he worked in gasoline and lubricant research and development in Emeryville, Calif.; Wood River, Ill.; Chester, England; New York City and Houston before retiring in 1978 to Carson City.
In the course of his work, he received 12 U.S. patents, several foreign patents and published numerous technical papers.
He was an avid stamp collector. He had an extensive Nepal collection which he exhibited nationally. After retirement, he was very active in Carson City senior activities and gave his time to AARP, RSVP, the Capital City Fair, Nevada Senior Volunteers and other senior center activities. He was also actively involved in the Reno Rock Club, the Reno Stamp Club and the American Chemical Society. He was interested in alternate energy sources and natural healing techniques and he was a Master Gardener, an avid birder and a zealous genealogist.
He was preceded in death by grandson Christopher J. Bennett and brothers Mervin and Douglas.
In addition to his wife of 61 years, Vivian, he is survived by son and daughter-in-law, Bruce and Beth Scott of Carson City; daughters and sons-in-law Kathy and Dave Sylvia and Linda Scott and Jamie Bennett of Jamestown, R.I.; granddaughters Marie Scott of Los Angeles, Annie Scott of San Diego, Janna Sylvia of McCall, Idaho, Donna Gilbert of San Jose, Calif., and Kristy Sylvia of Sacramento; grandsons Harrison Scott-Bennett of Jamestown and Justin Barber of Carson City.
Memorial contributions may be made to the American Civil Liberties Union, the Nature Conservancy or a local charity of choice.
FitzHenry's Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.