The final chapter in Scott Canfield’s life closed on December 26, 2021; it was a short bout with COVID-19, let’s call it an epilogue.
Scott’s story began with his birth to Shirley [Martin] and Glen Canfield in Newberg, Oregon, in 1952 – in an old house called Newberg Hospital, where the First Federal Bank building stands today. His upbringing, like his family, was fraught with complications and adversity.
Scott’s parents separated not long after his twin sisters were born, and he lived mostly with his mother who soon brought into the family his half-brothers Loren and Gary, as well as several step-siblings. Growing up they lived sometimes together, sometimes apart, staying with his mother, grandparents, foster parents, or members of his extended family. Between Washington and Oregon, Scott grew up in more houses than he could remember to count. Sometimes he would visit with his father’s new family, and often checked in with the new half-siblings he found there.
Scott came out on top of all the troubles, determined to have a happy home, bolstered by his faith of God, a passion for helping others – especially family – and his love of cars.
He was helped along the way by his own second family – his great Aunt and Uncle, Edith and Levi Dressel – who took him so he could stay in Newberg to finish school, and became a powerful influence for the rest of their lives. Scott’s kids knew the Dressel’s better as Grandma and Grandpa than Scott’s own parents.
It was at Newberg High School where he met Diane Beardsley in 11th grade English – his high school sweetheart and the love of his life. They would marry three years after high school in 1973. Their first son Brandon arrived in 1978, followed by their second son Robin in 1982. Eventually Scott converted his photography dark room to a bedroom for his son, but he never stopped taking pictures.
Scott always enjoyed working with his hands. In his teens he started fixing cars and selling them off – a strategy that worked so well that by the time he got his driver’s license he had the same car as his mother, but a better model. He frequented car shows to take photographs or show off his ‘57 Chevy, and also loved taking out his RC cars with friends and grandkids. Building off his experience working in his father’s cabinet workshop, among other jobs, Scott launched Canfield Home Insulation in 1976. The business would last until Scott took a job with the Public Works department at the City of Newberg in 1993. He worked at home as well, continually adding and improving things at the family house. In his retirement, visits to his sons would often begin with “what can we fix?”
Scott had a spirit of generosity that led him to help people, especially youths. Throughout his life he had close relationships with his nieces and nephews, and helped them through troubled times. For many years Scott served as a Youth Pastor at Joyful Servant Lutheran Church where he led countless high school youth through myriad lessons, on many growth-spurring trips, and otherwise guided people down a path to being better adults. Not keeping his kindness to just friends and family, Scott also spent many years volunteering as a Crime Victim’s Advocate, helping strangers in times of tragedy. Nor was his generosity limited to youth, as Scott was known in the family to be ready to help aunts, uncles and others in time of need.
Throughout his life Scott loved telling stories, especially funny ones. There wasn’t a good story that his friends and family hadn’t heard several times over, but that didn’t slow him down. Re-telling stories only helped him refine his favorites – such as being stopped by the local police one December day while reading water meters for Newberg Public Works, when an alert had been called in for a crazy old man wearing a Santa hat, riding around on a bicycle and poking the ground with a stick. He really knew how to make people laugh, but nobody laughed at his stories as hard as he did.
Scott retired in 2018, but he sure kept busy with his own projects. He continued helping his family and friends, working on his house and his cars, practicing photography, playing with his grandchildren, and writing down his stories. And he fought hard to keep living – fighting off cancer three times to stay on this earth.
Scott leaves behind his wife Diane, whom he loved to his last breath. His sons Brandon and Robin will forever use their first tool sets that Scott was so happy to give them. Sauvie, Desmond, Kellen, Jory, and Morah, will no doubt hold onto their custom-made family photo coloring books from Grandpa for many years to come. He is also survived by his brothers Loren, Dan, Mark, and Doug, and his sisters Pam, Paula, and Barbara. There are many friends who would call him brother, uncle, hero, or more – too many to list here.
No doubt Scott is eating cookies for breakfast in Heaven, and drinking ice cold Mountain Dew while catching his brother Gary up on many years of stories.
A gathering to celebrate Scott Canfield’s life will be held on Saturday, May 7, 2022.
