Stephen “Scott” Brake was born on October 6, 1968 to Dale Albert and the late Vivian Sue McMahan Brake at Jefferson Memorial Hospital in Festus/Crystal City, Missouri. After a heroic battle with lung cancer, Scott left his earthly home on June 11, 2024 at the Harry S. Truman VA Hospital in Columbia, Missouri at the age of 55 years, eight months, and five days.
Scott’s childhood was spent growing up in Desoto, Marshall, and Palmyra, Missouri where he made his profession of faith in the fall of 1979. Later that year, the family returned to Howell County and subsequently settled in West Plains, Missouri where he attend junior high and high school and graduated with the Zizzer Class of 1987.
Upon graduating high school, Scott entered the U.S. Air Force and was stationed at McConnell Air Force Base in Wichita, Kansas where he served as a Military Policeman (MP) . In 1989, Scott was transferred to Hahn Air Force Base in Hahn, Germany where he served another three years attaining the E4 rank as a Security Specialist. While there, Scott was also able to fulfill his duty and achieved success by completing training that led to him becoming part of the elite Air Force SWAT team.
Once Scott’s military service was completed, he returned to Willow Springs, Missouri where he made his home. His love for all things automotive and mechanical brought him to small business ownership when he ran a Conoco gas station on West Main Street and performed maintenance and repairs on the vehicles for many friends, family and community members. After a while, Scott dabbled in additional automotive business by buying and selling cars with several dealerships and on his own accord. Scott had the opportunity to use his MP training by becoming an original guard at the newly created South Central Correctional Facility at Licking, Missouri, where he served as a Sergeant on the night shift until he retired.
As his children were growing up in Willow Springs, Scott could often be found coaching Y basketball teams, or on baseball/softball diamonds coaching Hannah’s local and traveling softball teams, as well as Nicholas’ baseball teams. His passion for the outdoors often found him fishing at the local reservoir, Noblett Lake, and streams and ponds of friends and family. During deer season, he often set up a camp where family and friends were always welcome to come and sit a spell and share hunting tales and stories while drinking a cup of hot coffee.
Family meant the world to Scott, and as he learned more about his lineage, he took the opportunity to join the Ozark Mountain Chapter, Sons of the American Revolution (SAR) in 2013. On April 13, 2024, Scott was able to transfer that membership to the newly created Josiah Howell SAR Chapter, West Plains, Missouri as one of its Charter Members.
On March 28, 2020, Scott married Penny Lou Jones. In this union, he gained three sons, a daughter-in-law, and two grandchildren, whom he adored.
Scott is survived by wife Penny Lou Brake of the family home; daughter Hannah Leigh Brake, Nashville, Tennessee; son Nicholas Earl Brake, West Plains, Missouri; son Derick Harlan, Licking, Missouri; son Nick Harlan and wife Kenzie and grandchildren Huntley and Adalynn, Houston, Missouri; son Dakota Harlan, Willow Springs, Missouri; father Dale Brake, West Plains, Missouri; brother James Brake and wife Robin, West Plains, Missouri; paternal aunts and uncles, and cousins on both sides of the family, as well as many friends and former colleagues. He was preceded in death by his mother Vivian Sue McMahan Brake, both sets of grandparents, his maternal aunt and uncle, and other family members.
Funeral arrangements are being handled by the Bradford Funeral Home, Summersville, Missouri. Services will be held on Monday, June 17, 2024. Visitation will be from 12:00 – 2:00pm and funeral will follow immediately at 2:00 pm at the First General Baptist Church of Willow Springs, Missouri. Interment will be at Mt. Zion Baptist Church Cemetery, Pomona, Missouri immediately following the service.
In lieu of flowers, the family is requesting donations be made to the Josiah Howell SAR Chapter, West Plains, Missouri, or charity of choice and can be sent to the funeral home; Bradford Funeral Home, 305 North Main Avenue, Summersville, Missouri 65571.
