The Howell community lost a giant: longtime community leader and businessman Rick Scofield died earlier today.
How much of a giant was Rick Scofield?
There is now a hole left in the Howell community that will likely never be filled: Rick followed in the footsteps of his parents — Bill and Joy Scofield — in excelling at the fine art of community service. They were generous with their time and support, and the results of their efforts spread far and wide, making Howell a better place for us all. So amazing were these three that the City of Howell renamed its beautiful park on Thompson Lake after them in 2019. (You can read about that here.)
Rick also received Howell’s highest honor when he was named its Citizen of the Year in 1986.
Rick was active in all sorts of organizations. He served on the boards of First National Bank in Howell (now Bank of Ann Arbor), the Howell Area Chamber of Commerce, the Livingston Economic Development Council, the Howell Education Foundation, the Howell Opera House, and the Howell Planning Commission. He led the annual campaign of the Livingston County United Way in 2016. He also served on the board of the Community Foundation of Southeast Michigan, as well as the chair of the Community Foundation of Livingston County.
I was privileged to have served with him on the board of directors of LACASA in the past, and at present on the board of the Howell Carnegie District Library.
In addition to all that, Rick also served as a certified business mentor for SCORE; I got some valuable business advice from him years ago when I was struggling to make a go of The Livingston Post.
I have a hunch that his favorite role, though, was one of his most recent. Rick was over-the-moon excited at last week’s library board meeting about the recent birth of his only grandchild — a beautiful baby girl named Lily.
Rick — who knew a lot about wine — also loved to travel with his wife, Mary.
A 1974 graduate of Albion College, Rick majored in economics and business. In 1993, he joined his father in the family business of May & Scofield, an international auto supplier and major Howell employer for more than 70 years, which transitioned into May & Scofield Electronics, manufacturing bespoke electronic control modules in England, with offices in both the UK and Howell.
Rick is survived by his wife Mary (Schaefer) Scofield; children, Ryan (Brenda) Scofield and Marta-Kate (Matthew) Jackson; and granddaughter Lillian Joy Jackson. Also survived by his sisters Rory Scofield and Susan (Dan) Kaba, and several nieces and nephews.
Visitation will be 3-7 p.m. Tuesday, May 23, and 1-2 p.m. Wednesday, May 24, at the Watkins Brothers Funeral Homes, MacDonald’s Chapel of Howell. A memorial service is set for 2 p.m. Wednesday, May 24, at at the funeral home. Memorial contributions are suggested to Community Foundation of Livingston County.
