Our community lost one of its most highly-regarded and dedicated members when Raymond "Ray" Scott, longtime athletics equipment manager and No. 1 fan of the Garnet, died of cancer on Tues., Nov. 1. He was 59.
Ray served the Swarthmore community for 23 years and is remembered by colleagues and hundreds of student-athletes for his steady and good-natured presence, his enthusiastic and unfailing support, and the kindness and genuine care he extended on a daily basis to everyone around him.
"For Ray, Swarthmore student-athletes were like his children," says Marian Ware Director of Athletics
Adam Hertz. "Not one to complain, Ray was always the first person to find out how a student was doing and to offer them encouragement after a tough loss or to congratulate them after a win. Ray served generations of student-athletes and made a lasting impact on so many. He will be greatly missed by his Swarthmore family."
"I remember my first official day of track season as a freshman," says Becky Tang '18, a computer science major from Columbus, Ohio. "I barely knew anyone, let alone had any friends on the team. I was treading nervously in front of the [equipment] cage and suddenly I heard someone say, 'Now Becky, don't worry. We're gonna take real good care of you here.' Ray already knew who I was and instantaneously helped me feel more comfortable and welcome."
"He was such an integral part of my life as an athlete at Swarthmore," says baseball pitcher Aidan Miller '17, an economics and psychology major from Baltimore, Md. "It is definitely going to be hard to pass by the cage everyday knowing he's not there."
Ray, of Eddystone, Pa., graduated from Chester High School and in 1982 earned a B.A. in history from Widener University, where he also served as a football manager and had a work-study job in the equipment room. After graduation, Ray held a series of inventory control positions at area businesses. He also maintained his connection at Widener by volunteering in their athletics center equipment room. In July 1993, when he saw an ad for an equipment and facilities manager position at the College, it seemed the perfect fit and he applied; he started at Swarthmore less than a month later.
"I started working for Ray in the equipment room my first week as a freshman," says Assistant Women's Soccer Coach
Reba Magier '16. "Ray was my No. 1 fan. He supported me through everything and always made sure I was living life to the fullest. After a long and crazy day of classes and schoolwork, Ray would greet you in the equipment room and make sure you had a smile on your face."
"In the winter, I was working the concession stand at a basketball game," remembers Sarah Girard '19, a member of the women's volleyball team from Woodbine, Md. "Ray came over and talked to me for half an hour about how much he loved the kids at Swat and how special we were to him. Even in his last few weeks working here, when we asked him how he was doing, he would say, 'Better now that you guys are here. Have a fun time out there!' He was one of the most genuine and loving people that I have met here and I will truly miss him."
"Swarthmore was Ray's second family," says Administrative Assistant
Marian Fahy, who came to Swarthmore not long after Ray did. "He loved working with the student-athletes. They meant the world to him. When we talked last week, he asked me to get pictures of the Hall of Fame dinner so he could see Joko [tade Agunloye Greenberg '01] and the 1996 Field Hockey team. He was sorry he wouldn't be able to attend."
"Ray handed out more than bats and balls," says Men's Head Tennis Coach
Mike Mullan. "He distributed good will, cheer, and genuine friendship to all of us."
Ray was predeceased by his mother, the late Martha Scott. He is survived by his father John Scott (Lily), siblings Carol Burt, Bob Scott (Linda), Debi Richardson (Bob), Linda Scott, and Cindy Scott, and many loving nieces and nephews. A visitation will be held on
Thurs., Nov. 10, from
9:30 to 10:45 a.m. at the Nolan-Fidale Funeral Home at 5980 Chichester Ave. in Aston, Pa., followed by a funeral service there at
11 a.m.
Sincerely,
Valerie Smith
President
Volleyball head coach Harleigh Chwastyk: I knew Ray Scott for over 15 years and he loved the Swarthmore athletics community - it was a family to him and he loved coming to work every day. He enjoyed getting to know the Swarthmore students and truly cared about all the people he worked with - coaches, students and staff. One of the things he cherished was when alumni would come back to see him and bring their families. He was always so proud of the success and accomplishments of current and past Swarthmore athletes on and off the field.
Administrative assistant Marian Fahy: Swarthmore was Ray's second family. He loved working with the student-athletes. He celebrated their wins and supported them in losses. They meant the world to him. When we talked last week, he asked me to get pictures of the Hall of Fame dinner so he could see Joko and the 1996 Field Hockey team. He was sorry he wouldn't be able to attend. Ray was a good friend and will be sorely missed.
Men's tennis head coach Mike Mullan: Today we lost Ray Scott who was our co-worker and colleague in the Athletic Department for two decades. Ray maintained our sports equipment and handed out the practice and game uniforms to our students on a daily basis for over twenty years at Swarthmore. Ray handed out more than bats and balls, distributing good will, cheer and genuine friendship to all of us. Ray, we will miss you.
Women's Basketball head coach Renee DeVarney: Ray just got the job done. You could always count on having everything you needed -- even if it was a 6 am practice or early Saturday morning departure - the practice gear was washed, the uniforms were ready. He learned the names of all the athletes and greeted them by name when they came to pick up their pin wash. I can honestly say in the 12 years I've been here, I NEVER heard him complain, or have a bad day. He will be missed. My heart is heavy and sad.
Women's Lacrosse head coach Karen Borbee: Ray Scott will be greatly missed by Swarthmore student-athletes, coaches and administrators. His warm smile and kind heart were a special gift everyday.
Women's Tennis head coach Jeremy Loomis: "Ray was a staple of the athletic community for my 15 years at Swarthmore. I called him King Ray because he always seemed to know what was going on and was so reliable. He truly cared about the student-athletes and enjoyed their efforts and talking with them so much. I'm very saddened to lose an integral member of our athletic dept. community."
Administrative assistant Sharon Green: I worked with Ray for the past 21 years. He was a kind and gentle person, always willing to help. Ray always had a smile on his face, no matter how he was feeling. Ray will be sorely missed in the athletic department at Swarthmore College.
Women's Soccer assistant coach and former equipment room student worker Reba Magier: "I started working for Ray in the equipment room since my first week as a freshman. Ray was my number one fan from on the soccer field to in the classroom. He supported me though everything and always made sure I was living life to the fullest. Ray always had a smile on his face and was so lively. After a long and crazy day of classes and schoolwork, Ray would greet you in the equipment room and make sure you had a smile on your face. His love and support will truly be missed."
Track & Field and Cross Country head coach Peter Carroll: I will always remember Ray as a fixture, a symbol of our workplace at the college that was as steadfast as the sunrise.
Becky Tang: I remember my first official day of track season as a freshman at Swat. I barely knew anyone, let alone have any friends on the team. I remember being so incredibly anxious about how out of shape and unprepared I was. I was treading nervously in front of the cage, and suddenly I heard someone say, "Now Becky, don't worry. We're gonna take real good care of you here." Ray already knew who I was, and instantaneously helped me feel more comfortable and welcome at Swarthmore's athletic department. I really appreciated his kindness and willingness to help out, day in and day out. He will be sorely missed.
Billy Evers: When I came to Swarthmore on my recruiting visit I was a scared 18 year old walking into a whole new world. My father and I stepped into the fieldhouse lobby and the first person we ran into was Ray. I was a high school senior coming to meet with a potential coach, no reason for him to say anymore than a passing "Hello". But he did, and in fact he did so much more. He gave my father and me a full tour of the athletic facilities and walked us to Coach Wagner's office after. At the time I remember being taken aback with how willing he was to help and answer questions. I never knew a friendlier man or a bigger Garnet sports fan in my life.
Amanda Reed: Ray was the first person to make me feel welcome at Swarthmore. It would only take one interaction for him to remember your name, and from then on he made you feel important. Ray was so special and selfless, and I feel really lucky to have known him.
Sarah Girard: I became friends with Ray before I became friends with most of my teammates. During my first few days at Swat, he was so kind and someone I could count on to ask me how my day was every time I entered the field house for practice. In the winter, I was working the concession stand at a basketball game, and Ray came over and talked to me for half an hour, going on and on about how much he loved the kids at Swat and how special we were to him. Even in his last few weeks working here, when we asked him how he was doing, he would say, "Better now that you guys are here. Have a fun time out there!" He was one of the most genuine and loving people that I have met here, and I will truly miss him and all that he brought to Swat.
Francis Ge: Ray was so kind, patient, and always on our side. I could count on him for anything in that equipment room, plus being glad to see me, plus a few sly comments with a smile and laugh. He tucked the tag of my sweatshirt in one time: "You look like a goober with that thing sticking out, kid." He knew our names and had our backs every day of practice. I sent him a postcard when I was studying abroad for a semester in Ireland, missing him and the team.
Sara Planthaber: I know everyone is reeling from the news about Ray. I only knew him for 3 years, but my best memories of him were pretty much every time I saw him. He was so supportive and no matter how badly we played, he was always there to tell us all the good things we should take out of the experience and how you can only learn from such adversity. He and Larry are I think the lynchpin that keeps the athletics teams running smoothly, and I am so glad that I knew Ray for as long as I did. He will always be a part of the athletics family, and I will never forget all that he did for the department, my team, and me personally.
Tess Wei: The news of Ray's passing is incredibly sad. In the spirit of Ray, however, this sadness is accompanied by the happiness and warmth that he shared in every interaction. I saw and spoke with Ray consistently throughout the week - for every week over the past three (almost four) years that I have been at Swarthmore. He greeted me with such consistent kindness - not only asking how I was feeling about the running season and if I was ready for an upcoming meet, but also asking how my parents were doing and how my life was going in general. Ray was a confidant with whom I shared my feelings and thoughts - on the season, on school, on my general being. He was always positive. And this positivity was so honest, so true. When he was at the field house at the beginning of this year, we spoke and he was clearly hurting. Despite this pain - and the uncertainty of the future which he implied in our conversation - he shared his positive, thoughtful words and aura with me. He was so giving of his time and care and friendship.
"Tess! How you doing, Buddy?"
I will miss this greeting. I will miss Ray's presence so much.
Caroline Meier: Ray knew my name on the first day of preseason, and made me feel like I belonged as a freshman. I will never forget his positive attitude and kindness.
Marie Tillson: As class of 2020, I didn't get to know Ray for very long, but I could tell just in the short time I knew him what a good man he was. Every time I walked by the equipment room, he would greet me and ask how my day was going. I could count on him to stop whatever he was doing to help me when I walked in. I know that his energy and spirit in the athletics department will be dearly missed.
Bret Serbin: We on the cross-country team loved him and his upbeat personality! I would like to share that I really enjoyed daily conversations with Ray, especially about classic rock, a passion that we shared and a subject that he taught me a lot about.
Aidan Miller: I am so very sorry to hear about the passing of Ray. He was such an integral part of my life as an athlete at Swarthmore and it is definitely going to be hard to pass by the cage everyday knowing he's not there.
In my sophomore spring we played an away conference game against Washington College and I was the starting pitcher. I threw a no-hitter that game but after a devastating error in the final inning, we ended up losing the game 1-0. It was the most difficult event of our season, and absolutely for me personally in my entire baseball career. After a silent bus ride home, we arrived back at Swat late that Friday evening and Ray was waiting for us in the fieldhouse. I didn't know that Ray knew me by name but he came up to me and shook my hand and gave me a hug telling me that he was proud of me despite the loss. It was a small gesture but one that will always stay with me. Just how much he genuinely cared about us as athletes and people was what I appreciated so much about him.
Chris Chan: Ray was always a calm presence to be around. I would be asking for a basketball or my pin bag and 30 minutes later we would be entrenched in a deep conversation. He was Swarthmore's #1 fan and always came out to track conferences to support and take pictures. He was full of advice ranging from telling me if I'm playing basketball correctly, "Your fingertips should be dirty!" to giving me life advice. I will truly miss seeing and talking to my friend Ray at Swarthmore.
Hannah Lichtenstein (Hannah shared an email Ray wrote to the women's soccer team after they won the Centennial Championship. Here is an excerpt.):
Swat Women's Soccer Team,
You are a special group of ladies. I especially want to thank you for always being so kind to me. I hope in some small way I have helped make your soccer experience a positive one this fall. But, I promise it cannot compare in any way to what you guys have given me. To each one of you... I was literally happy to see you every day...
Congrats on becoming conference champions ... I was hoping that you would eventually realize how good you could be... and it finally happened once you made the playoffs. It was a beautiful thing to watch! You have no idea how much fun it was to watch you guys celebrate on the field after winning the championship.
Sarah Dobbs: Ray was inspiring because he brought the best out in everybody. He is a role model for us all, especially me because I would always talk to Ray about how I want to be a teacher and he is one of my primary role models for how I want to treat my students - with kindness, respect, and deep love and compassion. It's the little things that tell you who a person is. Like Ray knew all of our names before our first practice as freshman. That is real caring and it you can't fake that. People can feel it and Ray made all of us feel seen, worthy, and loved. He was a people person and he loved all humanity. There wasn't a mean bone in his body but we knew that he would defend us to the death if he had to because we were all his children. That's love.
All I can say is I hope Ray knew how loved he was when he died and I hope he felt all of us, all his children there, with him, when he died. I didn't get to say it before you left but Ray, I love you. We all love you. Rest in Peace.
Jenna Cody: Ray was one of the first people who knew my name at Swarthmore. By the first week of preseason my freshman year, he had already gotten to know the new freshman athletes and made them feel welcomed. He seemed to love his job and he truly cared about all of the students he knew.
I practiced in the field house almost every day for four years and every time I walked past him, he said hello and asked me how I was doing. When I walked toward the track to begin practice, he would tell me "have fun out there". I wish I told him how much that meant to me. He would make me feel important and loved even when I was having a bad day. I'm a pretty shy person but he made an effort to reach out to me every day and check in with me.
During my time competing on Swarthmore's cross country & track teams, there were so many days where I would enter the field house stressed or nervous about my upcoming workout. Each time I walked out of the locker room and toward the track, Ray would tell me to "have fun out there" and it would ease my nerves and remind me why I continued to run.
I hope Ray knew how much he was loved and appreciated by his student athletes. When I go back to visit Swarthmore, the field house will feel a little more empty without Ray. Please send my deepest condolences to Ray's family during this difficult time.
Liz Tawa: It is with deep sadness that I have processed the news of Ray's passing this week. Everyone would agree that Ray was a fixture for any Swattie who participated in sports here, never failing to offer a kind word or smile to all. Regardless of how tumultuous things felt to me at times as a Swarthmore collegiate, one of the few certainties that I could count on was going to get my pin bag at around 4:15 each day and being greeted cheerfully by Ray. Every day it was the same: as I walked in, I'd be met with a big "LT!" (Ray was the first person at Swat to bestow that moniker upon me), which would then be followed with "you have fun out there kid". Ray had a contagious positivity which still reminds me of the reason many of us continued our athletic careers at Swarthmore; not just to compete, but also to have FUN, and celebrate both the collegiality and camaraderie that defines the Swarthmore athletic community. In his email, Adam remarked, "Ray was a member of the Garnet Athletics family for more than 20 years, serving generations of student-athletes. He never had a 'bad day at work', and considered the athletes of this department his children". I can only hope that Ray knew he meant as much to us as we did to him...
Ray personified the kindness, humility, and dedication that makes Swarthmore so special to so many of us. To return his sincere message, no matter how I feel about my days at Swat, I'll miss Ray, now and always. Rest easy, dear friend.
