William Scott McKay

Earth lost an extraordinary human being in the early hours of April 3, 2026, as Scott McKay embarked on his new adventure, after a short but intense battle with cancer. Scott was a fierce advocate for the earth. He loved rivers, wild places, and wild things, particularly raptors and other birds. He was a devoted husband, father, grandpa, and brother. We will miss him.

Scott was born on May 22, 1956 in Berkeley, California, to John and Jean McKay. He spent an idyllic childhood in the San Francisco Bay Area, where he fostered his love for the outdoors, hiking, biking, fishing, and free diving. He attended John Swett High School in Crockett, California, where he excelled academically, was on the basketball and swim teams, and played saxophone in the marching and jazz bands. After high school, Scott attended Brigham Young University, graduating with a teaching degree in zoology, and he got his teaching certification from the University of Utah. During that time, he served a two-year mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints in Argentina.

Scott married Kristi Perisho, and they settled in Nephi, Utah, where Scott spent the rest of his life. They had two sons, and later divorced. He met his true life partner, Sharon Kay, at Juab Middle School, where they taught Science and English/Art respectively. Scott fit seamlessly into life with Sharon, becoming a father to her two children, and sharing a mutual love for teaching kids, music, the outdoors, and service.

A tireless worker, Scott devoted thirty years teaching science to seventh- and eighth-graders. He was a popular teacher, and loved watching his former students grow up and embark on their adult lives. In his spare time, he also painted for the school district and for private clients. After his retirement from teaching, he worked on the grounds crew for the district up until the time of his cancer diagnosis.

Service to his community and to the earth was critical to Scott. He taught himself to play the flute, and shared his talents on a regular basis at a local senior center, and as a member of the Nephi city orchestra. He took on the responsibility of recycling all of the school district’s paper and metal. He and Sharon served on the board of the Children’s Justice Center in Nephi, and were instrumental in raising funds for a safe space for traumatized children. Scott also spent twelve years as a volunteer for the Raptor Inventory Nest Survey (RINS), monitoring hawk, eagle, owl, falcon, and osprey nests in the remote high Utah desert.

Scott spent many summers as a professional river guide, and knew and loved the Yampa, Green, Colorado, and Salmon rivers. Throughout his life, he willingly shared his time, expertise, and his raft to lead friends, family, and scout groups on river adventures.

Scott is survived by his wife Sharon, his children Sam McKay (Nicole), Levi McKay (Mollie), Shalice Peterson (Joseph), and Brian Butterfield, six grandchildren, and his siblings Molly Welch (Brent), and Tom McKay (Paula). He is preceded in death by his parents and his sister, Kathy Sandberg. We are immeasurably grateful for Juliann Parkin, Scott’s hospice nurse, who brought peace and comfort to Scott and to his family these past few weeks.

At Scott’s request, his remains will be interred in the Nephi Vine Bluff Cemetery, with a graveside service for family only. If you would like to honor this remarkable man, go pick up some litter in a public place, play some John Prine, take a hike, do a good deed for someone, look up at the birds, and always recycle!