Cornelia Scott

Cornelia "Connie" Scott was born on January 15, 1927, in Hartwell, Georgia, as the only child to the late Howard and Mattie Jones. Cornelia enjoyed traveling at an early age, and would spend winters in Florida and summers in New York. Sometimes she would spend time on her grandmother Martha’s farm in Hartwell, Georgia. There came a time during her travels that her parents felt it was important to settle down in one place so she could pursue her education. That’s when they settled on Long Beach, New York and later moved to Rockville Centre, New York where she attended the Rockville Centre schools.

At eighteen she met the love of her life, Jack Scott in Rockville Centre, New York. They married on February 7, 1946 at St. Francis Xavier Catholic Church in Baltimore, Maryland. From this union they bore twelve children, six boys and six girls, with the first two children dying at childbirth. Cornelia went on to have ten more children; Jack Jr., Morris, Don, Eric, Vanessa, Sheryl, Cornelia, Anthony, Crystal, and Robin. Because her husband was a devout Roman Catholic, she later converted from Baptist to Catholicism. Her children were brought up in the Catholic faith and attended St. Agnes Cathedral Church and Elementary School. The Scott Family was one of the first Black families to attend this predominately White school. Some of her children later attended Malverne Public Schools.

She took care of children in the neighborhood as well as her own. She worked along side her husband as his assistant in the kitchen preparing food for “Centre Food Market,” the family owned grocery store, in Rockville Centre. She also worked as an outreach counselor for the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center Head Start Program, in Rockville Centre, New York. In 1972 at the age of 45, she started working at Mercy Hospital as a Nursing Technician. She remained in this position until she retired in 1992.

Cornelia enjoyed reading and gardening, but it was her sewing that she was best known for. She became the “neighbor seamstress.” If anyone needed a dress or gown for a special occasion, Connie was the one to go to. Although her time was occupied with rearing children, she made time to sing, draw, knit, crochet, and learn a little guitar. One of her last projects was making jewelry.

She leaves to celebrate her life eight children: Jack Jr. (Kay), Morris (Margarita), Vanessa (Jack), Sheryl (Kevin Sr.), Cornelia (Terrence), Anthony, Crystal, and Robin. 44 grandchildren, 48 great grandchildren, and 6 great great grandchildren as well as a host of nieces, nephews, friends, and associates. Cornelia was preceded in death by her husband, her two sons (Don and Eric), and her two granddaughter’s (August and Tamara). God picks his flowers very carefully on earth to set his table in heaven.