Daughter remembers firefighter dad who was “an example of loyalty, service, and showing up for others”

By Paul Garrod
Staff writer
news4garrod@gmail.com

LAWRENCE – A memorial service for a longtime Lawrence Township Emergency Services fireman, a longtime Lawrence Township employee, as well as a longtime Van Buren Intermediate School District bus driver, was held Sunday afternoon, June 28, at the Lawrence Village Park.
With temperatures in the mid-80s, an estimated 200 people attended the 45-minute service for Scott Earls, as they gathered under the park pavilion, with even more gathered around the outside of park pavilion.
The memorial service featured many who spoke about Earls, from retired East Arlington Baptist Pastor Glenn Cowles to Lawrence Township Emergency Services Fire Chief Bill Featherstone, and Earls’ youngest daughter, Madisyn, who spoke on behalf of her Grandma and Grampa Earls, her sisters, Brittany and Megan; her brother, Buddy, and her mother.
“Thank you to the surrounding fire departments for your kind works, generous support, and for volunteering your time,” said Madisyn.
She continued, “I would also like to personally recognize Donna Spenner, James Fein, Kate Fein, and Chief Featherstone. Thank you for being true friends to my dad and for the support, kindness, and guidance you’ve shown our family throughout this difficult time.”
Madisyn said, “When someone passes away, it’s easy to focus on the loss and get caught up in the pain. But today, I want us to focus on the man we were all fortunate enough to know.”
“My dad was a familiar face in the Lawrence community, and if you knew my dad, there’s a good chance you’re picturing him right now wearing a pair of sunglasses. They were a part of who he was. Whether he was driving a bus, at the fire station, hanging out at home, or out around town, he almost certainly had them on,” she said.
She continued, “They became such a staple of who he was and it’s hard to think of him without them.”
Earls was a 1983 graduate of Lawrence High School, was employed for more than 20 years with the Van Buren Intermediate School District as a bus driver, as well as more than 20 years each with Lawrence Township and the Lawrence Township Fire Department.
Madisyn said, “No matter who I spoke with, the same words kept coming up. My dad was a good man. He was selfless. He was the kind of friend people could count on. And he made an impact on far more people than our family ever realized.”
She continued, “The thing is, I don’t think even my dad realized the impact he had on people. I’m looking at so many people today, and it’s clear that my dad’s impact reached far beyond our family. He will live on in the friendships he had and the community he served.”
She concluded, “dad spent decades serving others, and that kind of dedication leaves a lasting mark on the community.
“Today, as we remember him and celebrate his life, I want us to remember not only a fire fighter, a bus driver, or the community member that he was – but also the example he set for many of us. An example of loyalty, service, and showing up for others.”