Mrs. Joan Marie Scott

Greer, SC

Mrs. Joan Marie (Wingate) Scott, 82, of Greer, widow of the late Salome Scott, passed away on Monday, November 17, 2025, after a courageous fight with cancer, at her son’s residence in Simpsonville.

Born July 16, 1943, in Asheville, North Carolina, she was the daughter of the late Milton Oliver and the late Thelma Wingate Reed. Joan considered herself a “Jersey Girl” at heart, as she spent most of her lifetime in Newark, New Jersey. It was there she met Salome while attending Weequahic High School. Joan and Salome were married for far too little time before Salome’s premature death due to a cerebral hemorrhage, leaving Joan as a young widowed mother to Keith and Tyrone.

Joan sacrificed everything to raise her two young boys and groom them to be responsible men. Later relocating the family to Scotch Plains, New Jersey, she always supported the boys with a stable and loving household which included nurturing the boys’ close relationships with their grandparents, uncles (Salome’s three brothers – Claude, Solomon and Calvin), and other extended family. Joan supplied the boys with routine access to the cultural experiences of New York City, including plays, opera, and museums. Joan also worked hard to provide, sending the boys to Catholic school and frequently taking them on winter vacations and summer trips to the beach.

Professionally, Joan enjoyed a long career with New Jersey Public Service Electric and Gas (PSE&G), retiring from the law offices after 34 years of dedicated service. She and her beloved mother Thelma came to Anderson, South Carolina for retirement in the late 1990s where she got involved in local county government as an aide. She appreciated attending events at community centers and local colleges, as well as taking advantage of all the shopping South Carolina had to offer. However, Joan was most thrilled to be in South Carolina so she could fulfill her favorite role as grandmother. She treasured the time she had with Aliviah and being able to see her grow from infancy to adulthood. Joan also served as a loving caretaker to her mother, as well as to her stepmother Louise Oliver and her sister Emma.

Spending time with her family and friends was of highest importance to Joan. Despite a fear of flying, Joan loved to travel and see different areas of the country. She took her young boys on cross country trips by train and automobile, and was an expert navigator of public transportation in many big cities. During retirement, Joan would routinely travel to Florida with her mother and other friends and family. More recently, she cherished shared family vacations with her sons, daughter-in-laws, and their families in Seabrook Island, SC, Destin, FL, and Bethany Beach, DE. She loved being at the beach, and especially enjoyed watching her sons and grandchildren swim in the ocean and taking the grandchildren to the boardwalk to play games or for a special treat. Joan also made routine Amtrak trips to Washington, DC to spend time with her grandsons Trey and Cameron, including a memorable visit to the National Museum of African American History and Culture during her last visit in April 2025.

Joan was a faithful member of the Kingdom Hall in Greer and a devoted Jehovah’s Witness. She helped organize many social events and deeply valued her brothers and sisters in the faith.

Joan is survived by two sons, Keith G. Scott, and his wife Gretchen of Bethesda, MD; Tyrone K. Scott, and his wife, Tasha of Simpsonville, SC; granddaughter, Aliviah Scott of Anderson, SC; and grandsons, Trey and Cameron Scott of Bethesda, MD. She also leaves behind a host of other relatives and friends, including Vida, Shirley, Inez, and Bernadette who she considered her sisters. In addition to her husband and parents, Joan was preceded in death by her beloved aunts Dot and Suzie.

A service will be held on Saturday, February 14, 2026, at 11:00am, at Watkins Garrett & Woods Mortuary in Greenville with the Elder from her Kingdom Hall officiating. Immediate family will gather following the service. Interment will be private.

The family would like to extend a special recognition and thank you to Dr. Elizabeth Cull and Allison from Complete Home Care of America for their compassionate care and support of Joan during her journey.

Memorial Service: Saturday, February 14, 2026, at 11:00am, at Watkins Garrett & Woods Mortuary, with interment private.