Scott Bayles

Born on October 27, 1949, in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, Scott was the son of Robert Russell Bayles and Gladys Blue Bayles. He lived in Bartlesville for the first ten months of his life before his family settled in the Kansas City area, where he spent the remainder of his childhood. He had very fond memories of living in Prairie Village, Kansas, where he played with neighborhood friends and rode his bike down to “The Village” to explore the nearby shops. The family later moved to Kansas City, Missouri, where he lived during his high school years.

Scott attended Pembroke Country Day School from the fourth grade through his graduation in 1967. Throughout high school, he was very involved with the Student Council and with the Hilltop school newspaper. He greatly enjoyed serving on the Hilltop editorial staff during his senior year.

Upon graduation from high school, Scott attended Duke University in Durham, North Carolina. While at Duke, Scott was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity, where he served as Vice President. It was within Sig Ep that he made lifelong friends and lasting memories. He loved retelling stories of an orchestrated roommate swap his freshman year, antics in the quad, Blue Devil basketball games, horseshoe tournaments, and walking to the “Engine House” with Sig Ep brothers.

Everyone who knew and loved Scott fondly remembers him as “Le Bras,” which is French for “the arm.” Scott and one of his best friends were fluent in French; sometimes they even spoke in French between themselves, much to the chagrin of their other friends. One day when they were tossing the football back and forth, Scott was launching perfect spirals down from the top bunk, thus earning himself the nickname of “Le Bras,” which followed him for the remainder of his years.

While in college, Scott met the love of his life, Elizabeth “Beth” Louise Morgan. The two enjoyed a beautiful friendship and courtship that spanned exactly fifty-four miles of frequently driven highway between Durham and Greensboro, where Beth was a student at UNC Greensboro. The two were married on June 13, 1970, in Bay Village, Ohio. They honeymooned in Aspen and then returned to North Carolina to finish their college careers. Scott graduated in 1971 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Civil Engineering.

Upon graduation, Scott and Beth moved to Charlotte, North Carolina, where Scott began his engineering career with Duke Power Company. In June of 1974, they welcomed their daughter, Meredith Morgan Bayles. In January of 1975, Scott’s beloved Beth, along with her parents, passed away in a tragic car accident. Meredith was raised by Scott with the loving help of his parents. Father and daughter shared a strong bond as they journeyed through life together while quietly missing someone very special.

Meanwhile, in the fall of 1974, Scott had joined his father in the family’s consulting engineering firm. They worked together until his father’s passing in 1991, at which time Scott continued as owner of the busy firm. Scott was most proud of his work on Kansas City’s Country Club Plaza. Between 1989 and 2008, Bayles & Associates Consulting Engineers was the chief engineering firm for nearly all of the tenant spaces in this famous and historic shopping district. He was a licensed Professional Engineer in both Kansas and Missouri, and he was a member of several professional organizations, including NSPE and IEEE.

Scott was raised in the Episcopal Church and spent many years as a member of St. Peter’s and later, of St. Michael and All Angels. He served in a variety of roles at St. Peter’s, including long-time usher, Vestry member, and Senior Warden. He was an avid reader, and he had a special interest in history. He was a member of the Sons of the American Revolution, but he also was fascinated by Civil War history. Scott had a great appreciation for music, from big band to classical to rock. His father taught him that music was best played on high volume; in turn, he taught his daughter the importance of “listening to the words” because music always tells a story. Between the Royals, Chiefs, Blue Devils, and Jayhawks, there was always a game to watch - and often a championship to celebrate. He especially loved talking sports with his two grandsons, Drew and Matthew. He will be greatly missed by all who knew and loved him.

He was preceded in death by his parents and his beloved wife. He is survived by his daughter, Meredith Bayles Bell (Mike) of Leawood; two grandsons, Drew Bell and Matthew Bell, also of Leawood; three siblings, Martha Bayles Bacon of Lenexa, Robert Bayles (Amy) of Prairie Village, and Christian Bayles (Dorothy) of Oklahoma City; and thirteen nieces and nephews, along with their families.

Services will be held at St. Michael and All Angels Episcopal Church (6630 Nall Avenue, Mission, KS 66202) at 10:00 a.m. on Saturday, March 21. Services will be live-streamed and can be viewed at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sS0_Tubv7ss A private committal will be held in Lawrence.

The family gives thanks for the love and support of friends during this time. Memorial donations may be made to The Pratt School of Engineering at Duke University or to Kansas City PBS.

Condolences may be left online at www.mcgilleystatelinechapel.com