Scott Nielson Conlin

August 22, 1966 - July 13, 2020

Scott Nielson Conlin began his turn on earth early in the morning of 22 August 1966 in Provo, UT, two days after his goodly parents graduated from Brigham Young University. His parents took him to Santa Fe, New Mexico at two weeks of age, where he spent the first five years of his life. In 1971 Scott’s Grandpa Conlin died suddenly and his parents made the decision to move back to Soda Springs, ID and buy the family farm. They arrived in April 1972. There Scott was raised, attending Soda Springs schools and working on the family farm, where he learned many important life lessons. The Boy Scout program was an important part of Scott’s life. He began as a cub scout, progressing to the rank of Eagle Scout, and he served as a trainer in the BSA summer Leadership course for youth. He appreciated the EMT training which he took with his father as an older scout. It served him well when he was able to save a life by performing the Heimlich maneuver when needed. He attended the National Boy Scout Jamboree in 1980 at Ft. AP Hill in Virginia. Scott was active in basketball, football, school musicals, Soda Pops performing group and Pep Band during his high school years. He was in charge of the stage lighting for many school and community productions. He graduated from high school and Seminary in 1984. He accepted a scholarship to Brigham Young University where he attended one year before serving a mission for his Church. Scott was baptized a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints on August 31 1974 and was a devoted disciple of Jesus Christ. He was ordained to the Aaronic Priesthood at the age of 12 and then ordained to the Melchizedek Priesthood on August 19, 1984 prior to his departure to serve as a missionary for two years in Northern Peru from 1984-1986. He learned Spanish and had many experiences that served him well for a future life of service. On December 28, 1987, Scott married his childhood sweetheart and eternal companion, Melanie Ann Wilde in the Salt Lake City Utah Temple. Melanie graduated in Sociology from BYU in 1988 and worked until Scott graduated in December 1990 with a major in Electrical Engineering with a computer emphasis. Scott’s minors were in Math, Physics and Spanish. He was offered an internship with Monsanto in his hometown in January 1991, and Scott and Melanie’s first child, Sam, was born shortly thereafter in February 1991. In the next five years three more children were added to their family: Ben, Faith and Jacob. At Monsanto, Scott worked in the Computer Integrated Manufacturing Department. It was the early years of computer applications and his services were in great demand. In addition to helping keep Monsanto’s computers operating, Scott had three small businesses, acting as computer support to local schools, becoming an internet provider, and assisting local citizens with their computer needs. In addition, he was delighted to teach Calculus and Physics at Soda Springs High School to a number of exceptional students, including some of his younger siblings. After much prayer and fasting, Scott felt guided by the Lord to accept a transfer to Monsanto’s Luling facility in New Orleans, Louisiana and began work there in January 1997. There he was the manager of the Information Technology Department. During their time in Luling, three more children were born to Scott and Melanie: Charity, Joy and Aaron. In Luling, they became proficient in evacuating their home during hurricane season. All their important papers, basic food supplies, and sleeping mats were conveniently placed where they could be snatched at a moment’s notice and put in the family van. Scott was asked to serve as the Stake President for the New Orleans Stake in 2000. Scott began to see that many people were not similarly prepared and supervised the preparation of an evacuation plan for the Stake so that his congregations would be prepared with the necessities and a place to shelter in times of disaster. In June of 2005 the NOLA Stake invited the community to help them celebrate 50 years of existence. All seven past and present stake presidents except one were able to attend the celebration. Two months after this glorious event in 2005, Hurricane Katrina hit. Scott had just devised an automated telephone system whereby his congregations could be notified of church evacuation shelters and through which voice messages could be received. After Katrina hit, Scott spent innumerable hours in the recovery effort for Monsanto’s computer system and for his scattered congregations. He experienced many miracles and tender mercies during this catastrophic time when three chapels in the stake were destroyed and the members scattered far and wide. During these years Scott continued to make Boy Scouts of America one of his priorities. He served on the Board of Directors and as District Chairman for the Southeast Louisiana Council. He received the Silver Beaver Award in 2007. His four sons all received their Eagle Scout badges, following in the tradition of Scott and his brothers and Scott’s father and his brothers. In 2009, Scott and Melanie moved their family further inland, purchasing a home near Bush, LA. In September 2010, Scott accepted employment with LOOP LLC, a regional oil and gas transportation company headquartered in Covington, LA, where he worked as Manager of IT for 10 years. He was released as Stake President in June 2011 after serving for 10 ½ years and getting the New Orleans Stake up and running again. At that time he was asked to be his Church’s representative of the Louisiana VOAD, a volunteer organization coordinating assistance and disaster relief efforts. He was able to use the expertise he gained during Katrina to provide relief to other church stakes, and other states hit by hurricanes. He was also invited to teach early morning seminary which was a great joy to him. He got up at 3 am each weekday, worked out, and then taught willing high school students the Gospel of Jesus Christ at 6 am before their school day began. In Seminary, he was privileged to teach the doctrines of Christ as taught in the scriptures to all but his oldest two children. Scott’s initial diagnosis of stage 4 bile duct cancer came to him in September 2019. He received the best possible clinical trial treatments for his rare cancer from MD Anderson in Houston, TX, one of the world’s premier cancer centers. He endured with courage, grace and patience his discomforts when the treatments failed to conquer the cancer. His beloved wife, Melanie, cared for him with loving kindness and devotion to the end with the assistance of family and kind hospice workers. Scott enjoyed mowing his 5-acre lawn with his Bad Boy mower with all of its eccentricities. He enjoyed reading for enjoyment and relaxation, and singing with his family and other groups. He also enjoyed listening to acapella music both live and on YouTube with his family. He especially enjoyed watching his children develop their musical talents. His posterity includes Sam and Betsy Conlin and granddaughter Charlotte, who live near Cincinnati, OH where Sam is HR Manager for Kraft Heinz Company, Ben Conlin, a graduate of BYU currently working as a Marketing Researcher for Nielsen Marketing, and Faith Conlin, currently a PhD candidate at the University of California at San Diego. Jacob and Jenna Conlin are currently seniors at BYU where Jacob is majoring in Strategic Management and Jenna in Fine Arts and where each internships have prior to graduation. Charity is majoring in Molecular Biology at BYU and her sister Joy is at BYU studying Pre-Dietetics. Their youngest child, Aaron will soon be a junior at Covington High School where he participates in the band, playing French horn. Scott is a son of Bart and Ruby Conlin of Soda Springs, Idaho. His sister, Tracy Schofield lives in Taylorsville, UT, his brother Mark (Rebecca) in Nampa, ID, sister Cindy Conlin in Ft Collins, CO, brother Joe (Phyllisa) in Tooele, UT, sister Laurie (Klayne) Stucki from Nampa, ID, sister Julie (Randy)Johnson from Frederick, MD, sister Suzy (Rick) Dooley from Murray, UT, and sister Kristy Conlin-Inocencio (Elson) from Taylorsville, UT. Scott departed for his next assignment to continue his service in his heavenly home on July 13, 2020. Relatives and friends are invited to attend the visitation at E.J. Fielding Funeral Home, 2260 W 21st Ave, Covington, LA 70433 on Friday, July 17, 2020, 6:00 PM until 9:00 PM or Saturday, July 18, 2020 1:00 PM until 2:45 PM. Due to COVID-19, face masks and social distancing is required at all funeral visitations for Mr. Conlin. The family wishes anyone could join the funeral at 3:00 PM, but due to COVID-19 restrictions this is not possible. The funeral program can be viewed live by obtaining the link from E.J. Fielding’s website shortly before 3:00 PM on Saturday, July 18, 2020. The Conlin family invites you to share thoughts, fond memories, and condolences online at E. J. Fielding Funeral Home Guest Book at www.ejfieldingfh.com.