The son of a country doctor, Dr. Francis A. Scott was born August 21, 1901, in Davis, Michigan. He earned his medical degree at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor and did his internship and residency at University Hospital there.

Growing restless and dissatisfied in Ann Arbor, he began looking for other opportunities – a search that, in 1929, brought him to Huntington, where he quickly established a successful orthopedic practice.

In 1933, Scott opened a Crippled Children's Clinic at St. Mary's Hospital, where he cared for hundreds of children at no charge. This was more than 20 years before the successful development of polio vaccine and each summer brought a wave of new cases of the crippling disease. Not confining his efforts to the clinic, he packed his medical kit in his car and set off on frequent visits to nearby rural areas to care for poor children in need.

In 1941, Scott served as Chief of Staff at St. Mary's. Ten days after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7 of that year, he reported

for duty with the U.S. Navy – leaving behind a thriving medical practice, a wife, two sons and a dog. He would serve in the Navy for years, including two in the South Pacific.

Returning home after the war, he reestablished his orthopedic practice and picked up the thread of his past life – including his service to others.

A generous friend to Marshall University, Scott was a major donor to the school's honors program, established a scholarship program for pre-medical students and for many years cared for injured Marshall athletes without fee. In recognition of his many valuable services over the years, Marshall awarded him an honorary doctoral degree in 1967.

At St. Mary's, he served as Chief of Orthopedics in 1955-56 and again in 1961. He served a term as president of the Cabell County Medical Society and was a founding member of the Tri-State Orthopedic Society. He retired from practice in 1967 and died in 1974.

Dr. Francis A. Scott lived a life of service to those in need.

St. Mary's Medical Center is proud to induct him into our Wall of Fame.