Scott Colby

Life is often filled with turns, and although we swerve to avoid the inevitable, they sometimes cannot be avoided. Since he was a young boy, Scott Colby dreamed of what tomorrow held for him. At many times during Scott’s life he triumphed, while at other times, he faced life’s tragedies and sorrows. There are no answers why many live their lives counting decades, while for others, there are few in number. Gone from those he loved too soon, Scott leaves endless memories to be cherished and treasured. Even though Scott’s life took many turns during his time with us, hope is found in the knowledge that he tried to conquer his troubles and make his path straight. He will be deeply missed and fondly remembered in the hearts of those he leaves behind.

The year 1985 was a time of mixed blessings the world over. While AIDS became an epidemic, headlines of the day included hijackings, car bombings and fatal airline disasters. Hope was on the horizon as the Live Aid concert, “We Are The World” raised over 283 million dollars for famine relief in Ethiopia. Big hair was in, and compact discs were first introduced when Care Bears and Nintendo came on the scene to the delight of children everywhere. A most noteworthy event in the lives of Glenn Colby and Marikay (Harig) Chipman of Grand Rapids, Michigan that year included the birth of their son, Scott Christopher. Born on Tuesday, February 12, 1985, Scott joined his older siblings Jennifer and Bob, later welcoming younger brothers Greg and Tyler.

Scott grew up in their family home on Wilson Avenue NW where fun filled days were spent enjoying all that life had to offer. His father worked in construction and his mom spent her days looking after the kids as a homemaker. She also worked at Bissell for a number of years until Greg's accident when she became his full time caregiver. Their bustling household was often a flurry of activity. Even from a young age, Scott displayed a protective and caring attitude towards his family. Growing up, he shared many adventures with his siblings and enjoyed numerous antics, most often fearlessly. He liked riding his bike and skateboarding whenever he could, and loved three wheeling. He spent much of his time hanging out with friends, especially longtime friends Nick, Ryan and Rocky. It was great to be in Scott’s company with his quick wit. His sense of humor could bring smiles to the faces of those he cared about on even the most gloomy of days.

Zinser Elementary School provided Scott with his early education. While attending Kenowa Hills Middle School he became involved in football and baseball, and later went on to Kenowa Hills High School. During vacations from school Scott and his family enjoyed traveling, particularly to areas with known amusement attractions. Their trip to Stone Mountain Park in Atlanta, Georgia provided memorable times for everyone along with excursions to Six Flags Great America, Cedar Point, Sea World, Safari World and many other places.

A proud moment for Scott came when he landed his first job. He was a sweeper at H & S Die and later got a job at Ann Street Auto, detailing cars. After leaving school in the 11th grade, Scott acquired a job through his Uncle Marv installing insulation in commercial properties. He ventured out on his own for a while with a move to New Orleans, Louisiana where he put his insulation skills to work. He eventually returned home to Michigan, picking up right where he left off.

Although life was often times a struggle for Scott, he found solace and enjoyment in his love for music. He loved the music of Metallica, and he even liked a little country music, but his passion was for rap. Scott could be quite animated when it came to rapping. He had all the right moves for it, especially when it came to dancing to his favorite groups. Music was a natural for Scott, and he even tried his hand at writing a few pieces of rap music. Much of his time was spent at the computer. Scott loved watching You-Tube online and could sit for hours on end taking it all in. Some of his favorite movies included Scarface, American Gangster, Good Fellows along with Dazed and Confused. When not listening to music or sitting at the computer, Scott enjoyed a mix of TV shows such as The First 48, music videos, and late night shows.

Some of Scott’s dreams took several dramatic turns. He faced many challenges which were difficult for him to overcome. His brother Greg, suffered a diving accident which left him paralyzed. Scott was there, and jumped in after him to help, but there was little Scott could do. Life was never quite the same for either of them. Shortly after Greg’s accident, another blow to the entire family was the sudden death of Scott’s cousin, Kevin. These times of tragedy in Scott’s life were devastating to him. Although life had made some pretty heavy turns for Scott, he tried to deviate from the things that truly troubled him. He fought hard to get his life back on track and was even taking classes to earn his GED. He was in the midst of working toward a better life, and had hopes for the future. Foremost and center in Scott’s life was his family whom he loved with all of his heart. With his generous and caring ways, he’d do anything for anyone when asked.

Sadly, at the age of 24, Scott died quite unexpectedly on Tuesday morning, January 26, 2010. He didn’t have the opportunity to count his days in terms of numerous decades, but the life he did live was lived to the fullest, rich with triumph as well as tragedy. Most importantly, Scott lived it with love in his heart. He will be greatly missed and fondly remembered by all who knew and loved him.

Scott is survived by his parents, Glenn Colby and Marikay Chipman; his sister and brothers, Jennifer Steele, Bob Chipman, Greg Colby, Tyler Colby; his grandparents, Bud and Marilyn Bush, Raymond and Betty Colby; nieces and nephews, Kaylynn, Zachary, Jacob, Bobby, Peyton and Gregory; numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and many friends. A service to celebrate Scott’s life will be held on Saturday, January 30, 2010, 11:00 AM at Heritage Life Story Funeral Home–Alt & Shawmut Hills Chapel, 2120 Lake Michigan Dr. NW. Relatives and friends may meet his family at the funeral home on Friday from 2-4 and 7-9 PM. Contributions in his memory to help with funeral expenses are appreciated. Please visit www.lifestorynet.com to read more about Scott’s life, to leave a memory of him, submit a favorite photo or to sign his online guest book.