F. Scott Tobey, born March 2, 1944, beloved brother, son, uncle and friend, died suddenly on May 5, 2013, of heart disease in his home in Palo Alto, CA.
Scott grew up outside Boston, Massachusetts. He graduated from Walpole High in 1962 and from Antioch College in 1968, worked for VISTA in Chicago for two years, then went on to complete two years’ graduate study at University of Michigan at Ann Arbor, leaving in 1972. He worked as a project analyst in Boston for the Department of Human Services for several years, then briefly for Jimmy Carter’s campaign and transition team in Washington, DC (1976-77).
In 1979, following a personal crisis, he came to live with his sister Pat in California, soon moving to his beloved Palo Alto, CA, where he lived an active and fulfilling life. The range of his interests was broad. He had an insightful and incisive mind in the areas of political science, social justice and public policy. He developed materials in Christian apologetics and evangelism, and advanced work on a personal project in evangelism in film.
He was active in his church, volunteered for numerous Christian organizations and worked tirelessly for the Salvation Army Kettle Program each holiday season. He was interested in family history and researched and traveled extensively to explore and map his genealogical roots.
All the people he knew thought highly of him and felt his spiritual presence. In later life, his integrity was legend: he once paid a fine he had not yet been charged with, and received a letter of astounded thanks from the local police! He had a curiosity about everything around him, and could find pro- found meaning in the simplest of patterns. He was a truly kind, generous, interesting and interested human being. He touched so many people in a life that ended way too soon. He is survived by his mother, Frances Bonner, sister Pat Tobey, brother-in-law Michael Brunelle, his brother Robert Tobey and two nieces, Mollie and Jasper Tobey.