Lives Lived
Among the most visible: Linda Scott and her husband, Lee, were the namesakes of the Linda & Lee Scott Performance Hall at the Bicknell Family Center for the Arts, where hundreds of music and theater students rehearse and perform, where speakers inspire, and where thousands of community members and visitors are entertained.
Linda died May 17 in Orlando, Florida. She was 75.
“Her generosity, together with Lee’s, have made a difference on this campus in immeasurable ways,” said Vice President for Advancement Kathleen Flannery. “Whenever I’m in the audience or on the stage at the Bicknell Center, I can’t help but think of the ripple effect that their generosity will have for years to come.”
Linda was born in 1950 in Kansas City, Kansas, and met Lee, a Baxter Springs native, on campus during their time as students; he went on to become CEO of Walmart.
Linda, too, had a brilliant financial mind and was an avid investor, and played a significant role in philanthropic initiatives alongside her husband — especially in education and community development.
Linda initiated the university’s H. Lee Scott Speaker Series: An Examination of American Life through a $2 million gift. The mission of the series is to deepen the level of discourse, enrich the university experience, and examine American life from the perspective of nationally prominent leaders and innovators.
“She paved the way to inspire generations of students to think they might be able to speak on that grand stage,” Flannery said.
The series has brought to campus such luminaries as Condoleezza Rice, Mitt Romney, Bill Clinton, Peyton Manning, Rainn Wilson, and Thomas Friedman since its founding in 2015.
Linda enjoyed Broadway shows, and through the couple’s support of the Bicknell Center ensured that just like major cities, Pittsburg, Kansas, had access to national tours of Broadway shows, including such hits as 42nd Street, Rent, and The Addams Family.
Through the years, Linda gave to a variety of projects at Pitt State, including Block22, unrestricted gifts to support the university’s priorities, and the Crossland University House.
And, Linda was a longtime supporter of the PSU Foundation, noted Flannery. She served as a PSU Foundation Trustee for a decade, as a Senior Trustee for an additional decade, and supported numerous student scholarships to support a variety of majors.
“Linda helped to transform our university, opening doors for generations of students to dream bigger and reach further,” Flannery said.
A celebration of life is planned for July 7 at Pinnacle Memorial Gardens in Rogers, Arkansas. Linda is survived by her husband Lee; their two sons, Eric and Wyatt and their spouses; and five grandchildren. She also is survived by her brother-in-law, Steve Scott, who served as president of Pittsburg State University for 13 years, and his family.
