Local tennis legend Terry Scott dies at age 99

Terry Scott, the city’s first full-time tennis pro and a retired U.S. Army command sergeant major, died this week at his home in Jupiter, Fla. He was 99 years old.

Scott taught himself to play tennis at his boyhood home in Oregon. A natural athlete, he lettered in several sports in high school and earned athletic scholarships to Gooding College in track and football. He transferred to Oregon College and lettered there in track, basketball, baseball and tennis.

He was drafted into military service in 1944 and began his military service at Fort Benning, where he met and later married his wife, Laura Thomas Scott.

In 1945, he served in the 515^th Parachute Infantry Regiment in France. His Army service took him all over the world, but he returned to serve two tours at Fort Benning. He played on Army volleyball, softball, baseball, badminton and basketball teams and won six Third Army championships and four Fifth Army championships in tennis. He retired as a command sergeant major, Infantry.

After retiring from the military, Scott went to work for the city of Columbus as its first full-time tennis pro, working out of the courts at Lakebottom Park. Later he would become the first pro at the new Cooper Creek Tennis Center.

During his 19 years as a tennis pro, he won nine Southern Championships in his age group, two father-son titles with his son Randy, a father-daughter title with his daughter Kim and 37 state senior titles.

During those years, he also finally completed his education, earning a BA in English and a Masters in Education from Columbus College.

After retiring as a tennis pro at age 70, Scott remained active in the game, serving as a senior coordinator with CORTA and remained active as a player. At the age of 89, he was inducted into the Chattahoochee Valley Sports Hall of Fame.

Scott was preceded in death by his wife Laura. He is survived by his wife Jeanne Blackmon Scott; three children, Laura Scott, Michelle Midgette and Kim Spicer; four step-children, Michael Blackmon, Leanne Edmonds, Gay Blackmon and Keely Blackmon; five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

A celebration of life service will be held on Monday, Feb. 13, at 11 a.m. at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Columbus at 8827 Heiferhorn Way.

This story was originally published February 10, 2017 at 8:19 AM with the headline "Local tennis legend Terry Scott dies at age 99."