Roll Call Tribute

Richard Carl Scott 

May 6, 1945 - January 22, 2025 

Richard Carl Scott, age 79, passed away on January 22, 2025, in Houston, Texas. He was born May 6, 1945, in Ridley Park, Pennsylvania to Carl Scott and Edna Fuller. His father was a merchant marine and his mother was a doting stay-at-home mom. When his father relocated the family to Port Arthur in 1957, Richard was shocked that there were no tumbleweeds and that horses weren’t the main mode of transportation! However, he became a true Texan at heart from that point on. He graduated from Port Neches-Groves High School in 1963 before going to Texas A&M University (College Station – Whoop!) where he earned his bachelor’s degree in civil engineering in 1967. After graduation, he joined the United States Army as a Combat Engineer and served for two years, during which he attained the rank of Sergeant, E-5 and was awarded the Army Commendation Medal.

After he was honorably discharged, he moved to Wichita Falls, Texas, where he later became the City Engineer. While serving, he earned the Young Engineer of the Year award in 1976. In 1977, he moved to Houston and joined the City of Houston Public Works Department, where he remained for more than 21 years. During his time with the City, he raised through the ranks from Chief Facilities Construction Engineer to Engineer VI, Assistant Director, Deputy Director, Director and eventually became City Engineer before retiring in 1998, earning the Public Works Leader of the Year award from American Public Works Association in 1996. During his time at the City, he met and married his wife, Hilda Garza.

After retiring from the City in 1998, he joined the private civil engineering sector, but couldn’t stay away from public service, so he joined the Harris County Flood Control District in 2000, where he eventually became the Engineering Division Director. In 2016, he finally retired from his engineering career so he could relax and focus on his hobbies including reading murder/horror, building model home kits, constructing model planes, trains and automobiles. He also loved to go out-to-eat with his wife or feed his granddaughter, Perri, everyday at lunch.

Richard was preceded in death by his parents, Carl and Edna, his brother Peter, and his daughter, Jessica. He is survived by his wife, Hilda, his daughters – Sarah Walter, Tommi Jo Scott, and Emily Scott, his son – Johnathan Scott, his granddaughters – Perri Scott and Hannah Danforth, and his great grandchildren – Mason Hoskins and River Danforth.

Services will be held February 2nd, 2025 at 5pm till 8pm at Brookside Cypress Creek Funeral Home. The following day Burial will be at Houston National Cemetery at 10:15 am.