On Wednesday, December 10, 2025, Colonel John Dennis “Denny” Scott, US Air Force (Ret.), a joyful and loving man, passed away peacefully at his Santa Fe Trail Ranch home, watching the sunset, with his wife Nancy, daughter Susan, and granddaughter Fiona by his side following complications from pneumonia.
Born on June 17,1941 in St. Paul, Minnesota, Denny was the second of four children born to Eleanor Ann Elliott and James Robert “Bob” Scott. He grew up in Grand Island, Nebraska where he was an altar server, paperboy, and played baseball and golf. At nine, Denny contracted bulbar polio after a swim meet and survived by his father’s quick thinking, a hastily loaned iron lung from Kearney, and an outstanding nurse who expertly cleared his airway. By ten, he worked hard to recover, kicking field goals for hours over his home’s garage. Boy Scouts also provided structure, and he achieved Eagle Scout by fourteen and was awarded the Order of the Arrow, the Boy Scout’s national honor society.
Moving to Sioux Falls in high school, Denny attended Washington High School and was known for his affable personality which helped him catch the eye of Nancy Knepper, his future wife, in Latin class. His leadership skills also developed, and he was elected Governor of the American Legion Boys State of South Dakota in 1958. Following high school he hoped to serve his country and be a “peacemaker” and attended the US Air Force Academy, graduating on June 5, 1963, with President John F. Kennedy serving as the keynote speaker. Just hours later, he married Nancy Knepper at St. Paul Catholic Church in Colorado Springs, starting a 62-year loving partnership.
Denny’s 32-year Air Force career included 20 years as a pilot logging over 5,000 flying hours and attaining the rating of Command Pilot. He flew and trained others on numerous Air Force planes including the OV-10A, T-33 and T-37 training jets, and the C-9 “Nightingale” transport providing airlift for critically ill patients across the United States. For his final eight years he held senior command positions in resource management and operations with tours on Clark Air Base in the Philippines and Rhein-Main Air Base in West Germany where he witnessed the fall of the Berlin Wall and helped direct refueling and transportation of hardware and personnel for the first Persian Gulf War (1990-1991). He received numerous military awards including the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medals, and the Korea Defense Service Medal for his 1970-1971 Korean tour supporting US Air Force General Maloy who commanded and expanded the US military in Korea as part of the United Nations command in Korea.
Denny and Nancy had two children. Susan Denise Scott, born in 1965 who is with us today, and David Anthony Scott, born in 1964 with profound developmental disabilities caused by a Rubella infection prior to the development of an immunization. Together the couple worked tirelessly to help David’s development including the use of Doman-Delacato, a patterning and motor skills therapy which helped him crawl and then walk – defying medical expectations. Later Denny supported Nancy in completing both her BA and MBA and subsequent successful effort to open the Specialized Living Center in Illinois to provide David with a safe place to age as an adult. Unfortunately, in 1981, David died unexpectedly and is buried at the Air Force Academy.
After his military retirement in June 1991, Denny and Nancy settled in Denver and worked together for seven years with USPA-IRA Financial Services. Denny became a Certified Financial Planner and enjoyed helping young families make financial plans for retirement. Then in early 1999, Denny and Nancy fully retired, began construction on a mountain home in Trinidad, Colorado, took fly fishing and travel trips with their small camper van, and joyfully spent more time with their daughter and grandchildren Aidan and Fiona in the coming years.
For the past 25 years, Denny thoroughly enjoyed embracing both the Santa Fe Trail Ranch and Trinidad communities and participating in meaningful volunteer activities. He spent 25 years as a Rotarian with the Trinidad Rotary Club and was often found giving out hot chocolate at Trinidad’s tree lighting, selling brats at the Trinidad Blues Festival, and delivering donated dictionaries to Trinidad 3rd graders. Most importantly to him, Denny also ran the annual Ride to End Polio fundraiser. Denny also served for years as a lector and lay eucharistic minister for Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Trinidad, Colorado and as a volunteer member of the Fisher’s Peak Fire Prevention District. He and Nancy were also passionate supporters and volunteers for Trinidad’s Southern Colorado Repertory Theater. Finally, they traveled extensively in retirement eventually visiting all 50 states and 29 countries with key trip highlights including: a two-person boat trip up the River Lot in France, the Greek Islands/Holy Land, Australia/New Zealand, the Prado, southern Portugal, DC/NYC (art/history), Europe, and the Western Pacific Rim.
Denny was preceded in death by his parents, his son David, siblings James Robert “Jim” Scott, Sandra (Scott) Eggers, and Cheryl (Scott) Thorson, mother and father-in-law Jennie and Bryant Knepper, brother-in-law Denis Knepper, nieces Missy and Amy Scott and nephew Mike Knepper. He is survived by Nancy (Knepper) Scott, his wife of 62 years, daughter Susan Scott, grandchildren Aidan Scott Farley and Fiona Scott Farley, son-in-law Evan Farley, sister-in-law Sharon Reinan, nieces Jenny Eggleston, Betsy Barker, Angi Brown, Wendy Mixon, Heidi Knepper, and Angela McLeod and nephews Reid Eggers, Ryan Eggers, Dean Thorson and their families.
Denny’s wake will be held on Sunday, December 21st from 2-5pm at Mullare-Murphy Funeral Home in Trinidad, CO and his funeral mass will be held at Most Holy Trinity Catholic Church on Monday, December 22nd at 1pm – preceded by a saying of the Rosary at 12:30. A reception immediately after mass will be held at the First National Bank of Trinidad’s 2nd floor Galleria. All are welcome. In the spring, he will be buried next to his son, David, at the US Air Force Academy.
In lieu of flowers, those considering any donation might consider the Rotary Club of Trinidad’s 2026 Ride to End Polio or the Murray Parents Association 1535 W. McCord, Centralia, IL 62801 or at https://murrayparentsassociation.com/. Their son David spent many years at Murray Center in their care.
Thomas Murphy
Mullare-Murphy Funeral Home
