Ann Shirley Scott

Ann was born on November 21, 1932, in Rochester, Kent, England. Her childhood was shaped by World War II, when she was evacuated with her mother, brother, and sister to Yorkshire, where they lived for five years. Even during those uncertain years, Ann’s adventurous spirit was already apparent. She loved roaming the countryside and mountains, collecting birds’ eggs and butterflies and exploring the world around her.

She was also an avid reader from childhood throughout the rest of her life, which her family joked explained her remarkable ability to answer so many Jeopardy! questions and why she remained the family Scrabble champion!

After returning to Rochester and graduating from high school, Ann began working for an entertainment agency in London. It was the beginning of a lifelong connection with the arts and entertainment world, and along the way she had the opportunity to meet several famous performers, including Ella Fitzgerald.

In 1954, Ann crossed the Atlantic and moved to New York City to join her husband, Robert Boyd, whom she had married in London. Robert was originally from Knoxville, Tennessee, but because the South was still segregated at the time, they made their home in New York.

Ann worked for several years at the William Morris Agency in Manhattan, handling Screen Actors Guild, Summer Stock, and other contracts for film and stage performers. She later married Michael Scott, and they moved to Rockland County, New York.

Following their divorce, Ann faced the enormous responsibility of raising three children as a single mother while maintaining a home and working two jobs. As if raising three children, maintaining a home, and working two jobs weren’t enough to keep her occupied, Ann also continued her education, eventually earning her Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Pace University.

Ann was immensely proud of her three children and their accomplishments: her son David and his career as a computer programmer; her son Stephen, who graduated from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute as a chemical engineer; and her daughter Susan, who graduated from Cornell University and later became a licensed massage therapist.

When Ann moved from Spring Valley to Nyack, New York, she immersed herself in the community and the arts. She became active with the Elmwood Playhouse and the Nasty Attic Players, both as an actor and a director.

Ann rarely stayed still for long. She biked, hiked, sailed, danced, and skied. As a member of the Ramapo Mountain Ski Club, she taught skiing through the intermediate level. Ann began every first ski lesson by teaching her students how to fall safely—a practical skill she apparently had every confidence they would need.

She also sailed with the Nyack Boat Club and later worked for Columbia University in Manhattan. Ann apparently viewed retirement more as a suggestion than a requirement. After “retiring,” she became a staff writer and photographer for Our Town, a local newspaper, putting the journalism degree she had worked so hard to earn to good use.

Her commitment to community and service was equally important to her. Ann was a member of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation in Flushing, New York, and the First Unitarian Society of Rockland County, where she served on the Board and edited the newsletter for several years.

In 2004, Ann began another chapter when she moved to Clearwater, Florida. As a member of the Unitarian Universalists of Clearwater, she organized numerous successful fundraising performances and served on the Board and many committees.

She also gave generously of her time to others. Ann helped teach English to Afghan refugees, including an eight-year-old boy named Mustafa who initially spoke no English. She worked with him for many years and especially enjoyed taking him on outings. She also served as a mentor to David, a second grader at Belcher School, spending time with him during his lunch periods.

The arts remained an important part of Ann’s life. As part of the UU Players, she performed in The Vagina Monologues at locations throughout Pinellas County. She joined the Tampa Bay Film Society and appeared in several independent films. She continued sailing with the Safety Harbor Boat Club and even participated in modeling shoots for various cosmetic companies.

And Ann loved to dance. At her 90th birthday party, she proved it by out-dancing just about everyone in the room.

Her curiosity extended far beyond the communities she called home. Over the course of her life, Ann traveled extensively, visiting Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, Costa Rica, Denmark, France, Germany, Greece, Holland, Italy, Norway, Puerto Rico, and Turkey. Many of those adventures were shared with friends through Friendship Force of the Florida Suncoast, part of Friendship Force International.

In November 2021, Ann moved to Belleair Towers, where she continued the final chapter of a life characterized by curiosity, independence, resilience, creativity, and an enduring interest in the people and world around her.

Ann was preceded in death by her brother, David, and her sister, Janice.

She leaves behind her three children, David, Stephen, and Susan; four grandsons, Christopher, Jason, Zack, and Eric; and two great-grandchildren, Christopher Jr. and Maya. She was immensely proud of her family, and they will carry with them the memory of a woman who continually learned, explored, persevered, served others, and never stopped experiencing life.

For those who knew Ann, perhaps the best way to remember her is not simply by mourning that she is gone, but by remembering just how much living she managed to fit into 93 remarkable years.

A memorial service for Ann will be held on Saturday, September 19, 2026, at 1:00pm at the Unitarian Universalists of Clearwater, 2470 Nursery Rd, Clearwater, FL 33764.