Dr. Wilder (Pat) Pattillo Scott

Dr. Wilder Pattillo (Pat) Scott of Athens, died on December 10, 2022. He was born February 7, 1935, in Atlanta to the late Ralph Wilder Scott and the late Avis Pattillo Scott. Surviving is his wife of 62 years, Shelley Mason Woodcock Scott; their son, Evan Wilder Scott; grandson, Wilder P.H. Scott.

He graduated in 1953 from Henry Grady High School and received his B.A. and M.A. degrees from Emory University in 1957 and 1958 in Romance Languages. In 1958 he entered the U.S. Army at Fort Jackson, South Carolina and then returned to Atlanta in 1959 at which point he was employed by the Westminster High School as a teacher of Spanish and French. He was later hired by the then Georgia State College of Business in the department of Modern Languages to teach Spanish and he taught there until he was called back into the Army Reserve in 1962 where he served with the 350th Psychological Warfare Company at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

In August of 1964, he and his wife moved to Athens where he enrolled as the first candidate for the Doctor of Romance Languages degree approved in the state of Georgia by the Board of Regents at the University of Georgia and completed his doctorate in 1968. He was then offered a position at the University and remained for a total of 31 years as a student and teacher. He received the Outstanding Honors Professor Award four years, served as the Undergraduate Advisor for several years and spent several summers abroad in Spain and Mexico with groups of students and his family.

The Rev. Will Zant, pastor of Haygood United Methodist Church in the Morningside section of Atlanta will preside at a private graveside service at Westview Cemetery in Atlanta. The family requests that in lieu of flowers, donations be made to Haygood United Methodist Church, The University of Georgia Foundation or Emory University.

Lord & Stephens Funeral Home, EAST, Athens, is in charge of arrangements. www.lordandstephens.com.