Scott King

With heavy hearts, we share that Scott King, 61, of Austin, Texas, passed away unexpectedly on October 19, 2025. He was a loving and cherished husband, father, son, brother, uncle, friend, and cat dad.

Born and raised in Stillwater, Oklahoma, Scott earned his bachelor’s, master’s, and PhD degrees in electrical engineering from Oklahoma State University. His career in the semiconductor industry spanned more than thirty years with Motorola, Freescale, and NXP. Scott loved designing devices that helped connect people and make their lives easier. As a lead architect for the digital signal processor subsystem, he played a key role in Motorola’s most iconic phone designs like the RAZR, PEBL, and ROKR. Known for his curiosity and willingness to take on new challenges, Scott later became a leader in wireless communication and radio design. He dove in eagerly and became the “go-to guy” for multiple Bluetooth and Zigbee products, helping launch a new era in keyless car entry with his work on wireless microcontrollers. Most recently, he led the creation of a line of transportation graphics display systems that ensure critical information is shown safely and reliably to drivers.

Scott was a talented engineer, but also a supportive colleague and mentor: exceptionally dependable and always willing to lend a listening ear. He met people where they were, sharing his knowledge freely and guiding global teams in China, Romania, California, and Austin with patience, clarity, and insight. Scott’s steady encouragement and kindness left a lasting impression on those he worked with.

An avid reader of many genres, Scott was always looking for the next great book. He also loved watching the latest sci-fi series and discussing plot points with friends. Music was a lifelong passion. He played acoustic and electric guitar, had a huge vinyl record collection, and enjoyed curating playlists for himself and friends. He loved listening to local Austin artists and discovering new music off the beaten path. Other hobbies included geocaching, working puzzles, and tackling home projects, particularly if it involved taking something apart and putting it back together to make it work better. He enjoyed traveling with family and friends, especially ski vacations and trips to Disney World or Universal Studios. While he was not a roller coaster enthusiast, he delighted in the joy they brought to the rest of the family while he waited firmly on the ground, reading a book. Scott loved animals and was a devoted cat dad to many kitties over the years. He always seized an opportunity to play with a neighborhood dog and enjoyed the birds and other creatures that frequented the backyard, both large and small.

Above all else, Scott’s greatest joy was his family. He met and married his wife, Janet, while at Motorola, and they enjoyed working together for many years. They always seemed to be on the same wavelength, often confusing their children or friends by speaking to each other in movie references only the two of them understood. During their thirty years together, Scott supported Janet in every endeavor with his quiet strength, encouragement, and much-appreciated sense of humor. He took immense pride in his son, Matthew, who is following in his footsteps by studying Electrical and Computer Engineering in college; and in his daughter, Sara, who is applying her artistic and technical talents studying 3D Digital Design. He instilled in his children the values of integrity, kindness, and helping others that guided his own life, and he always encouraged them to pursue their passions. He was also devoted to his family in Oklahoma, staying close to his mother, sister, and extended family.

Scott is survived by his wife, Janet; son, Matthew; daughter, Sara; mother, June King; sister, Carrie Coffey; niece, Rachel Coffey; nephews, Mason and Wyatt Coffey, and many cousins. He was preceded in death by his father, Bill King. Scott will be deeply missed by his loving family, as well as his many friends and colleagues.

A Memorial Service will be held on November 21, 2025, at 1:00pm at Cook-Walden/Forest Oaks Funeral Home and Memorial Park, located at 6300 West William Cannon Drive, Austin, Texas, 78749. Please come greet family and friends at 1:00pm with the service beginning around 1:30pm. The service will be available for live streaming at the following URL: [https://client.tribucast.com/tcid/c25106796592176] A reception will follow the service at 4900 Quick Water Cove, Austin, 78735 with some of Scott’s favorite foods. In lieu of flowers, please donate in Scott’s memory to BookSpring, Austin Pets Alive!, or your favorite charity.