Scott Emerson

Scott “Scootie” Emerson, 69, a multi-generation native of Traverse City, passed away at home on October 10, 2026 surrounded by love after a lengthy cancer journey. Despite his illness, he nevertheless found a way to use his unique, dry and matter-of-fact sense of humor to cope with his family’s new reality. Whether or not his jokes were hilarious or totally inappropriate was just part of that new daily reality.

To sum up someone’s life in words is almost impossible and to do so for a man as deeply funny, clever and honorable as Scott certainly cannot be done. He walked this Earth with love and compassion and left behind changes that will ripple outwards for decades to come. We will miss him dearly.

He and Cindy (Shaw) Emerson began their grand adventure together in 1980. Just two years later they charted an entrepreneurial course, starting Brake & Alignment Service Center together. Twenty five years after that they were able to sell it as a successful business and retire. Despite this, Scott continued to give back to the community and taught at the Automotive Department of NMC. He found great joy in honing the skills of the students and was well respected as a master mechanic and mentor.

Nevertheless, Scott felt that the greatest accomplishment in his life was becoming a dad to his children; Ryan and Sara. He was an equal opportunity father and took joy in encouraging his children’s interests as well as passing along his own hobbies.

He taught Sara archery and encouraged her love of reading and astronomy, teaching her the constellations and watching the Hale-Bopp comet soar by. They also loved spending time fishing together and being in nature. His favorite fishing trips were with Sara and Ryan.

Scott loved golf with the “Sunday Sunrise Foursome” of Scott, Ryan, Dave and Rich at Champion Hills. For over 20 years their foursome hit the links together. He introduced Ryan to the game at 4 years old and started to bring him along on Sunday morning from the time he was 9 years old. Scott and Ryan had many memorable golf adventures, going on father and son trips to Bandon, Whistling Straits, and playing many of the best courses in MI.

When his children found love and embarked on adventures of their own, he had room in his heart for his daughter-in-law Kim and his son-in-law Jordan and immediately treated them like his own.

When he became Papa Scott to Logan, Graham and Felix his welcoming and caring soul was overjoyed to share his love, knowledge and passions with them – and to make them laugh. Felix says “Papa was silly.” Logan always looked up to Scott admiring his strong sense of right and wrong. Graham loved joking around with Scott…thus influencing his own sense of humor.

Scott continued doing the things which gave him joy - most of all hiking or kayaking adventures with Cindy. He went on numerous golf, fishing and hunting trips, deep into the wild which he loved and respected.

On these trips he made lifelong friends and could tell you in detail about every golf shot, how many of each species of fish were caught with his fishing buddies, and all the elk they saw hunting in Colorado. He loved all of those places and friends.

Scott is survived by his loving wife, Cindy, son Ryan (Kim),daughter Sara (Jordan) ,grandsons Logan, Graham and Felix. His mother-in-law, Faye Shaw. brothers-in-law Doug (Michele), Kelvin (Scottie) and Jeff, best friends and “brothers” David Knudsen and Howard Vogel and many loved and adored special nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Dick and Arlene, brother, Gary, father-in-law, Ken Shaw and nephew Trevor.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, 5705 Grant Creek, Missoula, MT 59808 or online https://www.rmef.org Or to the charity of your choice.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, October 14 from 11am -2 pm, at Reynolds Jonkhoff Funeral Home in Traverse City