Russell Scott Williams

Russell Scott Williams, a loving husband, father, grandfather (Pops), and avid UCF Athletics fan, passed away on December 24, 2022, in Sanford, FL, with his family by his side after his two-year battle with cancer. He was 63. Scott was born on September 11, 1959, in Hanover, PA to Russell and Carole Williams and was raised in Westminster, Maryland. He was the oldest of five children, growing up with four younger sisters – Terri, Debbie, Dee, and Dana. Scott played football, basketball, and baseball throughout his childhood up through high school, with his number being 22. As a child, he fell in love with Florida and told his parents one day he would live there. He made that happen after graduating high school and would meet his wife Cathy Jo Capko while working together at Chelsea Title and Guarantee Company in Sanford, FL in 1978. While attending the University of Central Florida, Scott worked in the Athletics department as an athletic trainer for all sports and graduated with a degree in Education. Scott and Cathy Jo were married on August 1, 1981, and together they have six sons – Radley, Ryley, Renny, Roby, Rudy, and Rony. Scott had an impactful 40-year career as a Physical Education teacher in Seminole County, FL. He taught at Milwee Middle, Pine Crest Elementary, and Idyllwilde Elementary, with most of those years served at Idyllwilde Elementary School in Sanford, FL. He used coaching to teach life lessons that applied beyond the playing field. While he enjoyed his amazing career as an educator, his passion was his family. Scott spent countless hours playing with his sons, coaching their many youth sports teams, and cheering on his alma mater, the UCF Knights. Scott’s love for UCF went deeper than just a casual fan, as he and Cathy Jo helped write for, publish, and print the UCF Sports Newsletter from the late eighties to mid-nineties. His love for the Knights grew throughout the family and led to his sons, many nieces and nephews, and many grandnieces and grandnephews attending and graduating from UCF. Scott was a UCF Athletics season ticket holder for football, basketball, and baseball. Scott’s passion for UCF spread from a humble start as a UCF athletic trainer to covering sports for the UCF Sports Newsletter; growing into a love that expanded throughout his family and friends. Games became more than just games – they became a lifestyle. A lifestyle full of tailgates, watch parties, road trips, and UCF text groups, all of which created time to spend with family and fellow Knights. Scott’s love of UCF laid the foundation for a lifetime worth of amazing memories and friendships. Scott’s voice will always be remembered saying, “Once a Knight, always a Knight.” Scott is survived by his wife, parents, six sons, daughters-in-law, four sisters, brothers-in-law, nieces and nephews, great nieces and great nephews, three grandsons (Finley, Eli, and Jack), a granddaughter (Parker), and a large extended community of family, friends, and UCF fans. Scott’s family will host a funeral Mass on Saturday, January 7, 2023, at 11:00 a.m. at Nativity Catholic Church, 3255 N. Ronald Reagan Blvd., Longwood, FL 32750. Service will stream live, go to Nativity.org to view live. Also will be found on youtube later. Please pray for Scott and our family.  In lieu of flowers, please consider donating to one of the organizations that were important to Scott and his wonderful care – MD Anderson Cancer Center, Houston, TX – Dr. Srour’s Research Team; Orlando Health Foundation; Advent Health Hospice Care – Central Florida.

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Russell Scott Williams, please visit our floral store.