Otey Scruggs

Otey Scruggs, distinguished historian and versatile athlete died on February 14, 2014.

Raised in Santa Barbara Otey attended Franklin Elementary School, Santa Barbara Junior High, and Santa Barbara High School where he lettered in football, basketball, and track. He was known as one of “Schutte’s Boys!” He was a Seal Bearer and President of Junior Statesmen.

Upon graduation from USCB he attended Harvard where he earned his PhD in 1958. His first teaching position was at UCSB during the turbulent years of the ‘60’s. He left in 1965 to enter the Peace Corps and served in Ecuador and Washington D.C. In 1969 he returned to teach at Syracuse University where he remained until his retirement in 1995.

A devoted husband and father Otey is survived by his wife, Barbara, sister, Consuelo Devereaux, son, Jeffrey, daughter-in-law, Robin Mitchell, and two grandchildren.

Otey was in every sense a gentleman, quick to laugh, a man of strong opinions, compassionate, an avid reader and in every sense an American Historian.

Services were held in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on February 26, 2014.