- Kermit Scott
Theodore Kermit Scott Jr. (
October 18 ,1936 -May 26 ,2008 ), an Americancounselor andprofessor ofphilosophy , was a childhood friend ofMuppets creator,Jim Henson , and thenamesake ofKermit the Frog , one of Henson's most famous creations. cite news |first=Terri|last=Ferguson|title=Man for whom frog was named dies |url=http://www.ddtonline.com/articles/2008/06/15/news/news4.txt|work=Delta Democrat Times |publisher= |date=2008-06-14 |accessdate=2008-06-15] cite news |first=Todd|last=Leopold|title=Hardest-working frog tells all, Kermit the Frog is 50, and celebrating in a big way |url=http://www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/TV/10/05/kermit.frog/|work=CNN |publisher= |date=2005-10-05 |accessdate=2008-06-16] cite news |first=David|last=Edwards|title=Muppet Exclusive: Kermit at 50 |url=http://www.mirror.co.uk/archive/2005/09/29/muppet-exclusive-kermit-at-50-89520-16186769/|work=The Daily Mirror |publisher= |date=2005-09-29 |accessdate=2008-06-15] cite news |first=Kathy|last=Hanrahan|title=Hop on the Kermit bandwagon|url=http://www.news.com.au/travel/story/0,26058,22254838-27977,00.html |work= The Sunday Telegraph |publisher= |date=2007-08-16 |accessdate=2008-06-17]Biography
Kermit Scott was born in
Pontotoc, Mississippi , onOctober 18 ,1936 . cite news |first=|last=|title=Theodore K. Scott Jr., 71|url=http://www.jconline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080531/OBITS/805310334/-1/ARCHIVE |work=Journal & Courier |publisher= |date= |accessdate=2008-06-15] He grew up inLeland, Mississippi , which was also the hometown ofJim Henson , who would one day create theMuppets . Scott'sbrother-in-law , Aaron Moss, recalled to a Mississippi newspaper the relationship in which Scott and Henson had as children, "Kermit had moved to Leland at an early age. Those two kids met and were childhood buddies. They spent a lot of time running up and down thecreek , like most kids did."Henson and his family moved away from Leland, and subsequently Scott and Henson lost contact with one another as they grew up. It was not until years later that Scott learned that Jim Henson had named one of his most famous Muppets,
Kermit the Frog , after his childhood friend. Scott was reportedly "delighted" that Kermit the Frog had been named after him, but never sought to gainpublicity from the connection.Scott enrolled in
Millsaps College inJackson, Mississippi , and also studied inGermany on ascholarship . He received hisdoctorate in philosophy fromColumbia University inNew York City .Scott taught philosophy as a professor at
Yale University andMillsaps College . He then taught atPurdue University for 36 years. Scott retired from teaching to pursue amaster's degree insocial work , which he earned in 1993. He pursued his second career as acounselor . Scott and his wife, Aadron Scott, co-founded two organizations as to advocate for the poor, theFood Bank ofLafayette, Indiana , and the Welfare Rights Organization.Kermit Scott died on
May 26 ,2008 , at the age of 71 inLynchburg, Virginia . He was survived by his wife, Aadron Scott, whom he had been married to for over 50 years. He was also survived by his children, David Scott, Aadron Rausch and Tracey Scott. Scott had been a resident ofMonroe, Virginia .References
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