Yvonne Kay Scott

Yvonne Kay Scott, age 85, of Des Moines, Iowa passed away on Thursday, May 23, 2024. A visitation will be held Friday, May 31, 2024 from 5 PM to 8 PM at McLaren's Resthaven Chapel. A funeral service will be held Saturday, June 1, 2024 at 10:30 AM at McLaren's Resthaven Chapel, with a burial to follow.

On June 15, 1938, Yvonne Kay Smith was born to William and Viola Lucille Smith on Des Moines South Side, where she would continue to live and thrive her entire life. The first of three children, Yvonne would later help welcome sister Janice and brother Marshall (Mark) into the family, playing the role of big sister to Janice and mom to Mark following her mother’s untimely death when Mark was only five.

Yvonne would spend many happy days playing in the yard of her house on Highview Drive; at the Valley Garden home of her maternal grandparents Readel and Erva Peterson; and at the reservoir home of her paternal grandparents William and Anne Smith. She attended Maple Grove Elementary School, where she would meet her future husband, John Charles Scott, who let her know of his affections by dunking her pigtail in an ink well.

In later days Yvonne remembered her “growing up” years fondly, saying it was the perfect time to be a kid. Trips to the Old Fort for 5c movie nights; summer visits from her Aunt Francis (Teny) and Uncle Lowell, (and visits to spend weeks with them during summer breaks;) eating fresh tomatoes from the garden with her grandmother Peterson; running around at the Old Fort parade grounds; playing jacks on the steps of her friend Deanna’s home and much more. She began playing the accordion as a child and appeared on a weekly radio show as part of the Dick Contino Accordion Band Hour, sporting an instrument with her name proudly displayed in large, silver letters on the side. She loved music and encouraged her daughters to pursue it as well.

Yvonne attended Des Moines Lincoln High School where she worked as the make up editor for the Greenhorn and Regular Rail newspaper staffs. As part of the Drama Club she helped with many productions, appearing in “The Curious Savage” and “Snafu”. While at Lincoln, she made many life-long friends and excelled in many fields. Upon her graduation in 1956 she was offered a college scholarship after winning the Hill’s Department Store Youth Day contest but opted instead to marry the little boy who had dunked her pigtail in the inkwell. In her high school yearbook, she noted that her ambition was to “gain a new name, without changing her initials.”

Yvonne married John on June 3, 1956, shortly before her high school graduation. The couple would keep their roots on Des Moines South Side raising their two daughters Katherine (Kathy) and JonAnn in their family home for over 60 years. Family vacation time was precious as money was tight, but there were wonderful summer trips around the state of Iowa, to Colorado, Missouri and to visit Yvonne’s aunt in Indianapolis. And, trips to the drive-in with grocery bags of popcorn, a cooler of soda and foil wrapped hot dogs, (the concession stand was far too expensive,) to see the latest Disney and John Wayne movies played a part of many summers as well. It would take many years of saving, but Yvonne’s 50th birthday was spent in Florida, a state she had often vacationed in as a child, exploring forts, oceans and Disney World with John and her now grown girls.

There were also countless wonderful Christmas Days spent with family and friends over the years. Christmas Eve’s waiting for Santa to come, spent eating tacos, pizza, whatever, with her older girls trying to keep niece Michelle and nephew Mitch under control, as they were too excited to go to bed. And Christmas Days on which she got up far too early to begin preparing the Christmas feast after staying up with John and Grandpa Pete to put together the “toys from Santa.”

She was the definition of a mother, always putting her girls first so they could thrive. There was always plenty of crayons, paper, glue and other things needed to make exciting art projects. Stories were always read before bed, with Kathy making her read “Peter Pan” so many times she probably knew it by heart. Making sure they got to Campfire and Girl Scout meetings and assisting with campouts and candy drives. She was always there to help at orchestra contests and competitions as the supporting mom, who with husband John, spent many hours taking her daughters to music lessons and listening to “no-so- good” versions of songs until her future violinist and cellist got it right. Later, she would take jobs in the Drake University’s food service and housekeeping departments for their generous tuition rebate that would allow her girls to graduate without the monumental debt of attending a private school.

On May 29, 1977, Yvonne joined the Ft. Des Moines Presbyterian church where she would remain a member the rest of her life. Serving on many committees she was the church treasurer for 30 years and worked as a co Youth-Group Director with her friend Norma Simas. She would participate in many church events during her life, including the celebration of the church’s 75th and 100th anniversaries.

Yvonne served her community in many ways. She was an avid PTA mom when her daughters were in school serving as PTA president one year and on numerous Fun Night Committees. She spent countless hours baking cookies and cakes for bake sales, creating gift baskets, holiday wreaths, and volunteering time to raise money for local causes such as Lincoln High School Alumni Scholarships, Iowa Public Broadcasting and a local no-kill shelter, continuing her sense of giving by volunteering on projects through the Christmas season before her cancer diagnosis in early March. She will always be remembered for her incredible sense of kindness and giving to all that knew her…and her amazing cookies.

Yvonne is survived by her daughter JonAnn and son-in-law John Shackford, of Englewood, Colorado; daughter Katherine Scott of Des Moines, Iowa; sister Janice McClaflin of Bettendorf, Iowa; brother Mark and sister-in-law Patty Smith of Des Moines, Iowa; niece Michelle and nephew Paul Gheer of Davenport, Iowa; nephew Mitchell McClaflin of Bettendorf, Iowa; great nephew Connor Smith and partner Alexis Marie of Des Moines, Iowa; great niece Tessa Ackerland of Colorado Springs, Colorado; and great niece Caitlin McClaflin of Moline, Illinois.

Also surviving, her four “just like my own” daughters Diane Catley of Kissimmee, Florida; Jennifer Saylor of Des Moines, Iowa; Konny Thompson Sinton of Spokane, Washington; Gloria Warthen of Des Moines, Iowa; and “furry grandchildren” Yuki, Maiko, Skeeziks and Caspurr.

In lieu of flowers the family asks donations to be made to Taylor House Hospice, where Yvonne was lovingly cared for in her final days. Memorial gifts can be made online at https://bit.ly/honor-a-loved-one; mailed to UnityPoint Health – Des Moines Foundation at 1415 Woodland Ave., Suite E-200, Des Moines, Iowa 50309 OR by phone at 515-241-6304. And to, Death With Dignity, an organization that supports improving healthcare quality at the end of life, regardless of whether or not an individual chooses to hasten their own death https://deathwithdignity.org/states/iowa/. And to, Fort Des Moines Presbyterian Church at PO Box 35204 6001 South Union Street Des Moines, Iowa 50315.