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Douglas Scott Leigh died peacefully surrounded by family on November 14, 2024, due to complications of Parkinson’s Disease. He was born April 16, 1947, to Evelyn (Solsman) and Gerald Leigh, in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was a boy in Racine, Wisconsin, where he played sports and loved basketball in particular, but was also known for his keen intellect.
Scott graduated from Washington Park High School in Racine in 1965, where he had been Senior Class President, and his love of learning found him pursuing studies in Sociology of Education, Philosophy and Clinical Psychology at Beloit College, Western Michigan University and University of Nebraska - Lincoln. While he explored many possibilities at the university level and was awarded several degrees, his in-depth and self-guided studies of various topics (as diverse as grizzly bears to Zen Buddhism to AI) was lifelong.
During his college years Scott welcomed his first daughter Megan into the world in 1968 with Tara Seymour, followed by Brittany in 1979 and Bonnie in 1982 with former wife Cheryl (Bethel). He was also a stepfather, and remained a loving and constant presence in his stepson Brian’s life to the end.
Scott’s career included time as an editor of a local newspaper and school board member, but he spent the bulk of his career at Nebraska Public Media in several roles, the last of which was Senior Producer in the Interactive Media Unit, creating diverse content ranging from courses for UNL’s independent High School to an interactive multimedia ebook on “Lost Writers of the Plains” to a companion website to NPM’s “The Price of Water.”
His daughters sometimes joked with Scott that he had a shaky track record when it came to choosing partners, having experienced divorce several times. However, that changed when he met Shaunna Meyer in 1996 and blossomed into a partnership that spanned almost 29 years. Scott’s respect and admiring love of Shaunna was apparent in the way he spoke of and to her; in his actions and delight in the quiet life and rhythms they’d built together. To Scott, every day with Shaunna was a gift.
A perfect day for Scott might find him browsing a used bookstore to add to his legendary book collection, or going for a 30-mile bike ride on Lincoln’s MoPac trail, ballcap on, greeting everyone. He would of course also do some reading; convene a Zoom gathering to connect with far-flung daughters and sister; or delight in a weekly Zoom call with Slava to discuss Tibetan Buddhism (and life). And no matter what else, 4:45 pm meant his daily check-in conversation with lifelong friend Paul. The end of the day often found him snuggling up on the sofa after dinner to watch a movie from his list of favorites, sandbagged by three cats, holding hands with Shaunna.
Scott was a seeker, and when he turned 60 he decided it was time to put some of the ideas he’d read about for decades into practice; he participated regularly in Tibetan Buddhist meditation retreats ranging in length from a weekend to three months. In the end, after these years of studying various wisdom traditions, his heart resonated most with the Dalai Lama’s “My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness.”
Above all, Scott was kind.
He is greatly missed by his daughters Megan, Brittany and Bonnie; sisters Linda Leigh and Gabrielle Martin; wife Shaunna Meyer and his beloved cats (both his own and the neighborhood cats who frequented his patio). Friends Paul Dorsey and Slava Komarovski and his wife Trang remained dedicated to spending time with Scott to the very end, while sister-in-law Yvonne Meyer provided loving support in myriad ways. Grandson Flynn Leigh-Baker misses how playful and cheerful he was and granddaughter Sparrow Leigh-Baker misses how he really listened to her and cared about her interests.
While health challenges necessarily limited Scott’s world the last years of his life, he still greeted each day with honesty, humor and a willingness to examine and accept what was. He of course read voraciously about death and discussed it openly, which was a gift of sorts; his brilliant mind and words retaining depth to the end. We can still hear him.
Forever friend, Paul Dorsey, sent this obituary.
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Marika (Rikki) Maragos (Siavelis)
At our 50th Class Reunion, Scott came up and gave me a big hug! He reminded me that we went to the Sophmore Girls' Formal together. (Remember, girls - when this was the only opportunity we had to ask a guy out?!) I was touched and surprised that he remembered; although I had always cherished the time we had that night. Scott was the very first date I had, as my parents were very strick about "dating!" We didn't become an "item," but that was OK. I am truly saddened to learn of his illness and passing. We've lost a good one.
Rikki Maragos Siavelis
Joel Sys
Scott lived a good life. His obit sure reflects this.Charles Carothers
Scott was truly a modern Renaissance man. He blazed his own path from early in life and I'm glad his path crossed with mine a few times at Park. His life was full and marked by many contribtions. That's all any of us can ask for. A special thanks to Paul for the wonderful obituary.
Mark Eckblad
Scott and I met in the seventh grade at Mitchell School and hit it off immediately. Our friendship was interrupted when he was transferred to Jerstad the following year. Happily, however, he returned to Mitchell for ninth grade, and we were best friends from then until we graduated from Park.
Scott was intellectual, and endlessly curioys bout life. He was the most naturally gifted athlete I have ever known, although he competed primarily for fun and did not want to be typecast as a jock. I still remember how he would spin a volleyball on one fingertip like a globe while we were talking. He was utterly loyal. If he liked you, he didn't care what others thought of you. He was tolerant of others' quirks, including mine, reacting to them more with amusement than annoyance. He was the perfect best friend. I have countless memories of Scott, and will share just a couple that come randomly to mind.
Every Friday night during the summer following ninth grade, Scott and I would set off down Durand Avenue to the lakefront and head downtown, where we would each buy a $.25 bag of caramels at Fanny Farmer's and eat them on the trek back. As we walked, we would talk about everything under the sun: Philosophy, the supernatural, music, sports, girls, of course, and the superficial pretensions of the middle class, which we viewed ourselves as above. We were rebels.A special feeture of boyhood friendships is that they not only offer companionshp but influence your development, and I think Scott and I helped each other form what would become lifetime interests.
Our parents, prhaps injudiciously, allowed us to take the North Shore train to Chicago several times, where we would check into the Civic Center Hotel, a sketchy establishment just off the downtown,and roam the Windy City. We would wander the Loop. watch people in the gardens of the Art Institute, and eat most of our meals at Tad's, a discount steakhouse we were fascinated with. Scott never got bored, so he was as willing to go where I wanted to go as he was to follow his own impulses, I still fondly recall the exhilaration of exploring the big city. It felt full of energy and possiblity.
During our senior year, Scott's family hosted Fernando ("Fred"), an Argentine exchange student. The three of us soon bonded, and spent many nights together. One seemingly ordinary moment has always been a treasured memory. Scott, Fred, and I were driving along Main Street in Scott's mother's yellow convertible,one night and when the Beatles' "Yes It Is" came on WLS, we all sang along at the top of our lungs, even attempting the three-part harmony. I vivdly recall the mood of utter joy at being a teenager, cruising with your friends benath a star-strewn summer sky. It felt wonderful to be alive.
Everything passes. Scott and I both left Racine to marry nurses and study clinical psychology, and our paths diverged in our twenties. I saw him only a couple of times after that and got occasional news of him. However, it's hard for me to accept that he is gone, beccause he remains in my memory as eternally young and forever my buddy. I have been blessed with many good friends, but Scott was my best best friend ever. Thanks for everything, Scott.
Marika (Rikki) Maragos (Siavelis)
Thank you, Mark, for your touching memorial to Scott. What wonderful times you shared together! Rikki
Mark Eckblad
Thank you, Rikki. Scott was a remarkble best friend. We never tired of each other's company, so we enjoyed everything we did together. I'm sure he went on to enrich the lives of many others.