Marlin Scotting

October 31, 1946 – February 18, 2022

Marlin Hugh Scotting, known to most as Scotty, was raised with brothers Lon and Kevin in Hendricks, Minnesota by Art and Arloine.  Happy to have grown up on a farm in a small community, all his life he retained fond memories of farming and a love of tractors.  He participated in nearly all activities at Hendricks High School – basketball, choir, debate, theatre, and more.  In high school, he bought his first car – one of many throughout his life – and he received a great well-rounded education, although most of what he learned didn’t come from textbooks!  From an early age, he valued confronting challenges head on and succeeding.

At age 4, he met the neighbor girl, Janet Randolph.  Though she was his preschool nemesis, their relationship evolved and by senior year of high school they had become sweethearts.  In 1965, when Scotty was 19, he enlisted in the Army and he and Jan were married in December of 1966.    Commissioned as an officer, he proudly served in Vietnam from 1967-68 as an Infantry Platoon Leader, Executive Officer, and briefly, Company Commander.  Among other medals and awards, he received the Bronze Star for heroic achievement in combat and the Purple Heart for wounds received.

After returning home, Scotty studied Business Administration and Management at Southwest Minnesota State University and he and Jan were blessed with two wonderful sons.  He then owned a land development and construction business with his buddy Mark Nuese, and after hearing of job prospects out West he relocated the family to Grand Junction, Colorado in 1982.  Scotty’s friend, Robert Pietro, Sr. (Bob) eventually convinced him to start selling recreational vehicles and they opened Bob Scott RVs.  Twenty-seven years later, they happily sold the business to Mike Singer who runs it today.

Several times, he was fortunate to have found himself in good hands at just the right moments when death was near: his platoon in Vietnam, who pulled him into a bomb crater as bullets riddled the crater wall, and many other incidents; the gifted medical professionals who saved his life on three separate occasions (Drs. Terry, Coffey, Anderson, Garmany, and Sobel; and Bob Hedrick and Stacy Rollins and their paramedic team of Station 3); and a knowledgeable bystander who didn’t hesitate to perform CPR (Clint Burke), giving him a further 10 years to enjoy life.  Having learned early on how precious and fleeting life can be, Scotty valued simple joys: a comfortable lazy-boy, a great Western movie on TV, and an ice-cold drink of water which was so elusive in the rice paddies and jungles of Vietnam, to name a few.  He was thankful for Jan’s constant care and love, and he knew his life would not have been possible without her.  He was world’s #1 Proud Dad, and he was thrilled to watch his sons’ football games, musical recitals, health talks, plays, and operas!

In retirement, Scotty loved traveling the U.S. with Jan in their motorhome, making regular treks to California, Nevada, Arizona, Minnesota, and many other places over 15 years.  He also enjoyed motorcycle rides with friends and restoring his classic Corvette convertible.  His eldest son Ryan is now a Doctor of Chiropractic, and younger son Randall holds a PhD in music history and is an international opera singer.  Scotty was thankful for all of his wonderful family, including his sons’ spouses, Heidi and Nic, and he loved his connection with Quinn and Reed Margulies whose videos and pictures brought him so much happiness and laughter.  Scotty truly enjoyed every minute of his wonderful life!

A private service, for family, will be held at The Veterans Memorial Cemetery of Western Colorado.