Scott Anthony Schnupp

Scott Anthony Schnupp, 55, passed away on April 30, 2014, at his home in Topeka, Kan., following a lengthy illness. Born May 4, 1958, in Greensburg, Pa., the beloved son of Thomas and Barbara Schnupp, he is survived by his sister, Teri Hagen, of Mechanicsburg, Pa., brother, Tim Schnupp, of Huntington Beach, Calif., and several nieces and nephews.

Fiercely independent despite health problems throughout much of his adult life, he was well-traveled within the continental United States. As a child, he moved with family from Pennsylvania to Topeka, attending Highland Park High School. He would go on to live mostly in Orange County, Calif., and Lake Havasu City, Az., but also spent time in the Pacific Northwest and Deep South, as well as Las Vegas. Good with his hands, he worked a wide variety of jobs over the years. He was also always quick to volunteer as a shade-tree mechanic, taking great joy in helping friends, family and strangers alike, as his gruff exterior could never conceal his gentle spirit.

He valued loyalty above all else, however, and eventually returned to Pennsylvania with his mother, Barbara. There he devoted himself, to the best of his ability, in assisting her with medical issues and putting his well-honed cooking skills to use. After she passed in November 2011, he would return to Topeka. He was in the process of purchasing a home there when he received a terminal cancer diagnosis. With the help of the great people at Midland Hospice in Topeka, he navigated the difficulties of a life-ending illness with aplomb. As he lived on his own terms, he died on them, insisting on remaining in his own home in his final months.

An avid gamer, he played pong on a first-generation Atari console in the 1970s, and was passionately playing PlayStation baseball until his death. He was quick to pick up games of all types, however, and enjoyed a wide variety of board and card games, as well as crossword puzzles. A tremendous Scrabble player, he once entered a local tournament in Arizona and won handily. So handily, that when he attempted to play in the next tournament, he was refused a spot — instead he was simply awarded the Grand Prize and everyone else agreed to play for second place.

Coming from the woods of rural Pennsylvania, he was always comfortable in nature and with animals. He adored cats and doted on his pets, and also enjoyed birdwatching and gardening. He read extensively, a life-long consumer of novels as well as non-fiction (particularly history), and always kept books on hand.

As a sibling, he had a rather typical love-hate relationship with his similarly-aged sister. The two grew up together, delighting in tormenting each other with zany pranks, helping each other through the indignities of childhood, or simply sharing a plate of chicken wings. With the addition of a third child, Scott proved to be a wonderful mentor to his younger brother and offered unwaveringly loyal support that lasted a lifetime.

Extended family in the Topeka area rallied to Scott's side following his illness, and as a result he helped rebuild wider family ties.Although he never married and leaves no children, the world he leaves behind is most certainly better than the one he found. Life did not come easily for Scott, but he did what he could to make loved ones' lives better, and he will be missed.