NEWS & STORIES
Remembering Bill Scattergood (1957 – 2018)
Longtime PHWFF volunteer and mentor Bill Scattergood passed away on July 26th, 2018. Those who had the pleasure of his company will always cherish the impact he had on their life. He will be deeply missed by all in the Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing family.
Bill was one of the first guys I met at PHWFF and we hit it off almost immediately. I always looked forward to seeing him and talking about fishing and family things. He was just fun to talk to and I admired him for donating his time to helping veterans even though he wasn’t a veteran himself. He always told the veterans he worked with that he felt blessed to be able to work with all the veterans and that he received much more than he gave. I take comfort in knowing that Bill knew God and freely talked about the relationship he had with Him. I too will miss him a lot. – Participant
Bill was preceded in death by his parents, Arthur and Julia Scattergood. He is survived by his beloved wife of 39 years, Cynthia Scattergood; precious daughters, Jamie and Jennifer Scattergood; grandchild, Emma Scattergood, his joy bomb. He is also survived by 5 siblings, Mary Blake, John (Kimberley), Sarah (James), James (special friend Dana), Richard (Rebecca), and over a dozen nieces and nephews. William was born in Minneapolis and attended Hopkins Public Schools. William was a loving, doting husband, devoted father and blessed grandfather (Bepe) who had a strong faith in God. William was a very caring and generous man, always putting the needs of others before his own. His smile and laughter were unforgettable. He loved his family deeply, helping others, fishing, hunting and being in God’s great outdoors. He generously donated his time to Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing helping Veterans. He always said “God did not put fish in ugly places.”
I too had the fortune to work with Bill on PHWFF and he was a solid individual with a very strong commitment to helping our veterans. He went out of his way to assure he could be available and be there for meetings and outings. He passing is a loss for us all. – Volunteer
Although I knew Bill for only a short time, I especially remember his quiet approach to providing service and leadership to the local PHWFF organization, while setting the example of always putting the veteran’s enjoyment and comfort first at any event. His low profile style was effective in attracting new volunteers such as me in addition to providing a welcoming environment for all of the veterans. – Volunteer
Very sad to hear about Bill’s passing. I had spent only a small amount of time with him at a couple of events, but was getting to know him. Certainly, he was committed to PHWFF. Be sure to let me know if there is anything we can do for the family, or the program. I would certainly be willing to contribute to any cause the family would like to support. – Volunteer
He was such a great guy and asset to the program. Always with a smile and willing to do whatever was needed. He will be missed. – VA staff
It is the preferred wish of the family that, in lieu of flowers, memorials can be made to Project Healing Waters Fly Fishing or MN Adult & Teen Challenge.