Mary Louise (Hunter) Scott, born December 6, 1936, peacefully passed away on July 15, 2026, just days after meeting her two newest great-grandchildren, Brant and Louella. She was 89 years old.
Mary Lou was raised in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, alongside her siblings Quentin Jr., Jim, Jerry, Anne, and Tom. Her father, Quentin, was a yardmaster for the Milwaukee Road and known as a consummate gentleman and doting parent. Her mother, Justine, was a lovable, charming, and resilient force. Widowed at the age of 58, all things flowed seamlessly through her home at 717 Summit Avenue. Growing up in the North End, Mary Lou developed a lifelong spirit of hospitality and compassion. She graduated from Cathedral High School in 1955 and entered the Presentation School of Nursing that fall. She would go on to serve as president of her 1958 graduating class. Her gift of caring for others and being a quiet leader was a hallmark of her career. In the summer of 1955, through a stroke of providence, 18-year-old Mary Lou met the love of her life. After mistakenly arriving at the State Theatre for a job interview, she met Loren, the manager who hired her as their popcorn girl. Their chance meeting grew into a loyal courtship and would be chronicled in the love letters they wrote to one another. They were married on September 1, 1958, at St. Joseph’s Cathedral.
They began their life together in Yankton, where Mary Lou started her nursing career at Sacred Heart Hospital. In 1959, they settled in Howard, South Dakota, where Mary Lou raised her children while working at Madison Community Hospital and later caring for patients at the Howard Clinic and Horizon Health. Some of Mary Lou’s most meaningful and impactful work as a nurse was her time in hospice care. In recognition of her lifelong service, she was inducted into the O’Gorman/Cathedral High School Alumni Hall of Fame in 2015.
She and Loren had a beautiful retirement. They spent the latter part of their lives devoted to the Howard community and their family. They took every opportunity to attend their grandchildren’s graduations, recitals, and sporting events. They were involved at St. Agatha and Beach United Methodist, where they worshiped independently and as a couple for over 67 years. Perhaps their most cherished ritual was early morning coffee while watching the sunrise.
Mary Lou also loved solitary pursuits such as reading, writing, and prayer. She was an extraordinary writer and kept detailed journal entries about those she cared about. Her gift and legacy of communication were captured in thousands of handwritten notes. She was a lifelong student who valued traditional education, as well as learning in more unconventional ways. In one of her countless musings about her childhood, she wrote, “Mom and Dad built relationships with all people. They taught us kids to recognize the gift God gave to all of us – our differences.” As a lifetime member of the Catholic Church, Mary Lou served as a CCD teacher, Senior Marriage teacher, and Guild chairwoman.
She was a strong woman with a devotion to her faith, family, and the underserved. Mary Lou will be dearly missed.
Mary Lou was preceded in death by her parents Quentin and Justine, son Chuck (Robin Wolff), husband Loren, sister Anne, four brothers, Quentin Jr., Jim, Jerry, and Tom Hunter, and son-in-law Donn Clendenon.
She is survived by her loving children Greg Scott, Julie Scott (Paul), Anne Clendenon (John), Dan Scott (Suzi), Tim Scott (Darla), Steve Scott (Kari), Maria Jeremiason (Jeff), and Kristen Johnston (Rob). Mary Lou is also survived by 21 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren, as well as her many other relatives and friends.
Visitation will be at St. Agatha Church (202 Washington Avenue, Howard, SD 57349) on Thursday, July 23 from 5:00 – 7:00 p.m. with the family present to visit with guests, followed by prayers and comments at 7:00 p.m. Mass of Christian Burial is Friday, July 24th at 10:30 a.m. at St. Agatha Church. Burial will follow in the family plot at Graceland Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family suggests a charitable contribution to: St. Agatha Church, Beach United Methodist, or the Loren & Mary Lou Scott Community Impact Fund, c/o Rivers Edge Bank, Howard, SD.
