Scott Allen McDermott, PhD, died of natural causes at his home in Albany, GA on September 14, 2024.

Scott was born in Hannibal, MO, on July 14, 1968, to Robert G. McDermott and Patricia Cissell McDermott. He won the Kentucky Spelling Bee at age 12 and competed in the National Spelling Bee. He attended Mayfield Middle and High School. He, along with his friends, created the Purchase Players and performed several plays in the area and he was the captain of the Mayfield High School Academic Team who won the inaugural Louisville Courier Journal Kentucky Academic Bowl in 1985. The same year, he graduated as valedictorian with multiple honors and awards when he was just 16 years old. He chose to go to Cornell University in Ithaca, NY because of his experience at the university with the Telluride Association Summer Program (TASP). He lived and worked in NYC before returning to Nashville, TN where his family then resided. He worked for two different libraries at Vanderbilt University.

He decided he wanted to teach and obtained a Masters and Doctorate from St. Louis University in St Louis, MO. While he was there, he taught at area colleges as an adjunct professor. He returned to Tennessee in 2014 and taught for one year at Tusculum University in Greeneville, TN. He then took a position at Darton College in Albany, GA, which merged with Albany State University where he continued to teach until his death. Scott served on various school committees and was president of the Faculty Senate. Scott genuinely cared for his students and always went above and beyond to ensure their success. He was known to become truly animated at times when discussing history. Anyone who knew Scott would certainly believe this to be true.

Scott was a published author and wanted to add to his reputation as a historian. In 2001, he authored “Charles Carroll of Carrollton: Faithful Revolutionary”. In 2022, he wrote “The Puritan Ideology of Mobility: Corporatism, the Politics of Place and the Founding of New England Towns before 1650”. At the time of his passing, he was under contract to author two additional books. One being a sequel to his most recent book and another about women healers/homeopaths of early American history.

He was preceded in death by his father, Robert G. McDermott and is survived by his mother, Patricia Cissell McDermott, originally of Fancy Farm, KY but recently of Albany GA and Gallatin, TN, his sister, Kelly McDermott, niece Lily Hestand, both of Gallatin, TN, his half-brother, Robert N. McDermott (Carol), half-nephews Terry (Tami) and Jason McDermott and half-nieces Tina Warren (Chad) and Tammy Forrester (Eric), all from Mayfield, KY. Also surviving are his uncle Walter Cissell of Mayfield, KY and his aunts, Frances Hayden of Fancy Farm, KY and Marilyn Barfield of Metropolis, IL and many dear cousins on both sides of his family.

Scott had many friends across the country who considered him a kind, intelligent, loyal, and gentle person. He was honored to be godfather to numerous children and sponsored several adult Catholic converts through RCIA. He was always happy to teach scripture and share his love of God.

He was a devout member of St. Teresa of Avila Catholic Church in Albany, GA where a funeral mass will be held on Saturday, October 12, 2024, at 11:30 a.m. Reception will follow and details are still being planned.

There will be a graveside service on Saturday, November 9, 2024, at 11:00 a.m. where his remains will be interred at St. Jerome’s Catholic Church in Fancy Farm, KY. A reception will follow in the Knights of Columbus Hall at the church.

I lieu of flowers, a donation can be made to Food For the Poor, https://foodforthepoor.org/ or the ASPCA, https://www.aspca.org/. 

Send to someone

Share this obituary with others

https://everloved.com/life-of/scott-mcdermott/obituary/

Copy