Kent Scott Mcarthur

K. Scott McArthur
Nov. 9, 1932 - Aug. 2, 2021
MONMOUTH, OR - Scott McArthur, retired Monmouth lawyer, author and community leader, died Monday August 2, 2021 at the age of 88. Kent Scott McArthur was born November 9, 1932 at Olympia, Washington, to Robert R. McArthur and Beatrice Isabelle Norton McArthur.
He was raised in Tacoma, Washington, and was a graduate of Lincoln High School (14949), where he was a member of the school band and orchestra, participated in the school dramatic program, and was a member of the school newspaper staff.
Scott McArthur had degrees from the University of Puget Sound (A.B., 1955), the University of Oregon (M.S., 1958) and the Northwest School of Law, Lewis & Clark College, Portland (J.D., 1966).
At the University of Puget Sound he was a member of Theta Chi fraternity, Phi Mu Alpha music honorary, was editor of the Puget Sound Trail student newspaper and was a member of the Puget Sound-Tacoma Symphony Orchestra and the concert band.
In Tacoma, he worked as a reporter for radio station KMO, was an announcer for radio station KAYE in Puyallup and was a service station attendant. He was a dance band musician and served as a member of the Board of Directors of the Tacoma Local of the American Federation of Musicians.
At the University of Oregon, he was a member of the staff of the student newspaper, the Oregon Daily Emerald.
Scott McArthur worked as a journalist for a number of years and was employed as a writer for the Associated Press, United Press International, Salem Capital Journal, the Albany Democrat-Herald and the Oregon Association of Broadcasters Legislative radio network.
He taught in the Salem public schools and was an instructor in journalism and English at Mt. Angel College.
He was a Past Master of the Masonic Lodge and was a life member of Lyon Lodge at Independence, OR., and Fern Hill Lodge at Tacoma. He was a member of the Scottish Rite Masons at Salem.
Scott McArthur was an Army veteran, serving at Fort Ord, California, and at Fort Myer, Virginia, where he was the editor of the post newspaper.
He was a member of the Sons of the American Revolution, the Sons of Union Veterans, the Northwest Civil War Council, the Independence Elks Lodge, the American Mensa Society, the Willamette Writers Guild, the Oregon Scottish Society, the American Trial Lawyers Association, was a fellow of the Society of Antiquaries of Scotland, the Polk County Historical Society, the Oregon Historical Society, the Clan MacArthur Society, the American Guild of Organists, and the Oregon Small Woodlands Association.
He was a 38-year member of the Linn-Benton concert Band at Albany, the Mt. Angel Community Band and the Reconstituted Monmouth-Independence Town Band.
He served as a member of the Board of Governors of the Oregon State Bar. He was a staff attorney and legislative lobbyist for the League of Oregon Cities and started his law practice in Monmouth in 1967.
Over a period of 25 years he was a part-time municipal judge. He served six years as a pro-tem District Court and Circuit Court Judge. He served six years as a visiting lecturer at the National Judicial College at the University of Nevada-Reno. He was president of the 12 Judicial District Bar Association and was a member of the American Bar Association, the American Trial Lawyers Association, the Oregon Municipal Judges Association, and the National Judges Association. He was for 25 years a member of several committees serving the members of the Oregon State Bar.
Scott McArthur was active in theater works. In college he was a member of the Tacoma Theater Guild and the St. Martin's Players at Lacey, Wash. He appeared in 28 productions of the Pentacle Theater at Salem Between 1968 and 2002.
He was the founding president of the Monmouth-Independence Community Foundation and its predecessor, the Monmouth-Independence Education Charitable Trust. The Community Foundation supports charitable organizations in the Monmouth Independence Community. He also was a member of the Investment Committee that managed the Charitable funds held by the Masonic Grand Lodge of Oregon.
Scott McArthur was married and later divorced from Mary Lou Russell and Patience O'H Reynolds, both of whom predeceased him. He is survived by one son, Robert G. McArthur, and two adopted children, Shelley Chamberlain of Jefferson, and Sean S. McArthur of Jefferson.
A graveside service will be held Saturday, September 11, 11 am at Fir Crest Cemetery, Monmouth, OR. Farnstrom Mortuary is caring for the family.