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Jean Besley Scott ’51

Jean Besley Scott ’51, July 18, 2011, in Portland. Jean, or Scottie, as she was known at , began her education at the University of Oregon, but felt the school was too impersonal. She moved to Portland, where she lived with a maternal aunt and worked for State Farm Insurance and Albertina Kerr to earn money for tuition. During that time, she met Fred White ’50, who suggested she investigate , where she found both academic challenge and the comfort of a smaller community. “The wonderful thing about was that everybody there cared about the world . . . that had never been my experience before at all.” At , she met Kenneth Tollenaar ’50, who shared her love of music; he was a musician, she sang jazz. They married in 1949; she worked in the coffee shop for a year while Ken finished his degree, after which she earned her BA in education. She loved because of Dorothy Johansen ’33 [history 1934–69] and Ann Shepard ’23 [dean of students 1926–68], who believed in her ability to succeed. “It was very, very hard, because I was so poorly prepared. I hadn’t a clue how to write a paper. I didn’t have a clue how to do research and I didn’t have a very broad area of knowledge. It was a wonderful experience, though, because I grew a great deal.” She also gave credit to Frank Loxley Griffin [mathematics 1911–56]. “That man taught me to count to 10.” After leaving , she taught for two years near Eugene, and then the couple moved to Minnesota and Washington, D.C., for Ken’s graduate studies. Jean worked and raised a family, and then earned a master’s in alcohol and drug counseling from the University of Oregon. She worked for Oregon Vocational Rehabilitation in Clackamas and retired in 1989. She was a member of the First Unitarian Fellowship, a passionate supporter of the arts, and a volunteer for students in grade schools and seniors in retirement centers. She kept a close connection to the college throughout her life. “Jean was delightfully cantankerous. She loved to engage in thoughtful debate and enjoyed being around others who shared the love of ideas. I will miss her in our planning meetings as well as at the events themselves,” said Mike Teskey, director of alumni & parent relations. Survivors include two sons, one daughter, and a grandson.

Appeared in magazine: December 2011