Scott Miller Verrei

As Scott lived a long life of 94 years, he was preceded in death by many beloved family members: the son of Scott P. Verrei and Lida Mae (Zetty) Verrei; son-in-law to Joseph and Mary (Keenly) D'Emilio; brother and brother-in-law to Connie (Verrei) and James (Fitz) Fitzpatrick; and father-in-law to Daniel Hall.

Scott was a true Philly native - born in 1932 in Philadelphia and graduated from Friends Select School in 1950. Summers, of course, were spent down the shore in Ocean City, New Jersey, where much time was spent racing the family sailboat with the crew of his dad and sister Connie. It was also at the shore he started dating the girl who became his lifelong sweetheart, Mary Jane (D'Emilio) Verrei. Theirs is a relationship for the ages, one that spanned eight decades of laughter, joy, challenges, tears, and everything in between. Scott and Mary Jane were married in 1953. Soon afterwards Scott enlisted in the United States Army and was part of the Army of Occupation in Germany. He served as a corporal and was awarded the Good Conduct and Army of Occupation & National Defense Medal.

When Scott returned, he and Mary Jane began their own family in Valley Forge (just outside the park). They had three children: Scott Joseph (aka Pal) born in 1957, Mary Jo (Jodi) born in 1960, and Wendy born in 1963. When Scott Joseph married Shelley Johnson in 1979 his family grew to four children! During the years while his family was growing, he always made time for an annual trip to somewhere special in the family station wagon and of course the annual trip to Ocean City. Over the many years he continued to share the Ocean City trip with its many traditions with his grandchildren and great grandchildren.

Scott was a trusted colleague and a valued employee every place he worked, most notably Gulf Oil Corporation and Thomas Publishing. Scott worked for decades as a computer programmer back in the day when those machines filled a room! Ironically personal computers never interested him; too small he thought. The common denominator in all his professional experiences was the value he placed on forming personal relationships with his clients and his colleagues. He was dedicated to doing what it took to do the job right and getting to know people along the way.

Scott's family grew in his later years - five grandchildren: Jamie (Verrei) Williams, Jenna (Verrei) Sands, Bear Berenback, Raya (Berenback) Hamiliton, and Daniel Scott Hall. Scott was blessed to have four great grandchildren: Emily Williams, Avery Williams, Abi Sands, and James Sands. A fifth great grandchild will join us soon and we will share stories with her about the Shore, the day that Granddad picked up Jamie and Jenna at the Philadelphia Airport wearing a Santa suit and Groucho glasses and many others.

Scott will be remembered for so many things - his quick wit, his love for and dedication to family, his commitment to his community and neighbors, his love for animals (both his pets and those wild creatures that lived in his backyard), and his uncanny ability to find a scrap piece of wood that is just the right size to fix something at a moment’s notice.

Dad taught us all how to lead a life filled with love, gratitude, and humor; and by his example his legacy lovingly lives on in us.