Sandra Scott

Sandra Sue Scott was born Sept. 1, 1950, in Waukegan, Ill., the oldest of three girls of Lewis William and Bernyce Ann (Tracy) Stilwell.
Sandy’s family has deep ties to the Baha’i Faith. In 1937, her grandmother, Margaret Russell Tracy, worked at a factory assembling fur coats, where she started investigating the faith through a coworker at the age of 48 and became a Baha’i – this faith was shared across generations, including Sandy who embraced the Baha’i Faith at the age of 18.
She was raised in California by loving and supportive parents who valued education and hard work—and wanted their children to know and love the world, to be exposed to the arts and sciences and above all to appreciate diversity.
She was a devoted wife of 50 years, an inspired artist, intelligent, unendingly curious and a wonderful friend who opened her heart and home to so many, including numerous exchange students with whom she remained close for the many years following their visits. These friendships inspired her to learn Portuguese and visit Brazil for several months.
Her appreciation of diversity also showed through in her artwork. Sandra borrowed from the macrame of 19th century sailors, the bead and bone work of the North American tribes and some Celtic influences reminiscent of the fairy tales that she loved as a child to create her own unique style incorporated into the assemblages, tapestries, weaponry, jewelry and other art she created.
From her earliest year she was instilled with a love of nature which remained her major source of inspiration. Although she drew portraits and painted still life forms, her favorite subjects were animals and plants. She enjoyed turning a piece of slate into a knife or a spear—or taking a rock, found lying on the ground, and making it the focal point of a necklace.
Sandra loved music and playing guitar, and played violin with The South Dakota School of Mines Orchestra and wrote music inspired by her faith – including music for the following Baha’i prayer:
“My Lord! Make Thy beauty to be my food, and Thy presence my drink, and Thy pleasure my hope, and praise of Thee my action, and remembrance of Thee my companion, and the power of Thy sovereignty my succorer, and Thy habitation my home, and my dwelling-place the seat Thou hast sanctified from the limitations imposed upon them who are shut out as by a veil from Thee.
Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the All-Glorious, the Most Powerful.”
~ Bahá’u’lláh
Sandra, of Rapid City, S.D., passed away in the early hours of Saturday, March 2, 2024 at the Monument Health Hospice House. She was 73.
She is survived by her husband, Wilmer Learoy Scott, Jr.; sisters, Karen Chase of Fullerton, Calif., and Debra Schneider of Lincoln, Calif.; daughter, Jolie Hogancamp of Sioux Falls, S.D.; step-daughter, Regina Morris of San Antonio, Texas; four sons, Michael Scott of Pleasant Hill, Calif., Daniel Scott of Raleigh, N.C., David Scott of Rapid City and Peter Scott of Angier, N.C.; and 10 grandchildren.
Funeral Services were March 5 at the Black Hills National Cemetery near Sturgis, S.D. A potluck gathering took place afterwards at the Agape Spiritual Center of the Black Hills in Rapid City.
For those who could not attend a separate remembrance of Sandy’s life will be held at a place and time TBD.
In lieu of flowers people are encouraged to donate to Goodwill of the Great Plains, the South Dakota Arts Council or the charitable cause of their choice.
Please visit the online memorial for Sandra at OsheimSchmidt.com.