Death date: May 29, 2025
Scott E Topping 1963 – 2025 Scott E Topping, 61, passed away peacefully and surrounded by loved ones on May 29, 2025, in Honolulu, Hawaii. Born in St. Francis, Kansas, Scott lived a life filled with humility, hard work, faith, and Read Obituary
Scott was a year older at sfchs. I always measured my meager success against his super stardom. He will remain one of my heros.
In 1998, I was an onsite vendor working with Southwest Airlines' Purchasing Department. As he often did with serious conversations, Scott closed the door to the area where I sat and asked if I had ever considered a career in aviation. That conversation connected us forever. Working with Scott was a joy, but having him as a friend was more special. There are too many memories to list, but one that stands above is the time the Topping family visited Chris and me in Kauai.
We grieve the loss of Scott but know that his faith in Our Savior was strong. Blessings and prayers to Lauri, Jordan, and Kailey. May God continue to bless you.
In 1998, I was an onsite vendor working with Southwest Airlines' Purchasing Department. As he often did with serious conversations, Scott closed the door to the area where I sat and asked if I had ever considered a career in aviation. That conversation connected us forever. Working with Scott was a joy, but having him as a friend was more special. There are too many memories to list, but one that stands above is the time the Topping family visited Chris and me in Kauai.
We grieve the loss of Scott but know that his faith in Our Savior was strong. Blessings and prayers to Lauri, Jordan, and Kailey. May God continue to bless you.
I too remember the beginning of Scott and Lauri's romance while working in the same department at SWA. It was fun to see the LOVE between two wonderful people - the gentle giant and the petite sweetheart.
One funny memory I have of Scott is around his love of health and fitness. I was prepping my lunch in the break room one day - an apple and a baked potato (yup, I know!) - and Scott was appalled. He told me why I should never ever have a meal of carbs, especially when I wouldn't be working out within an hour. He explained to me the importance of protein, which was so typical of him during that time period. It makes me laugh thinking of it now.
When Scott and Lauri moved to Hawaii, I was more than a little bit jealous. What an adventure they've had, even though there were years of struggle along the way. We've been lucky to visit them on more than one occasion, and it was plain to see that they belonged in beautiful Oahu.
Lauri, Jordan, and Kailey ~ we will always remember Scott with great fondness. He was truly a man of strength. We love you!
Sue & Mike Ringsdorf
Scott was a gentle giant with many blessings that include his family, friends and coworkers. A life full of love, joy and friendship. I’ll never forget sitting next to Scott (and Lauri) at an awards banquet in Dallas where I was peppered with questions about growing up on Oahu. A few weeks later I found out the Toppings were moving to Hawaii. Soon after Leah and I were able to visit them at their new home on Oahu. Scott made sure we experienced all of the new beach toys. We met again on Maui sharing a happy hour and beach day that included listening to whales underwater. And most special to me was the love and kindness I felt when Scott and family came to support me at the Waikiki Rough Water swim. Scott, I’m so glad our friendship continued on Hawaiian time, and by faith I know we will meet again in God’s time. God bless you and your family.
My Fav memory was riding around in Scott’s Vet at KSU listening to one of his favorite songs “ Dreams I’ll Never See “ by Molly Hatchet . I was new to the dorms and Scott was so nice he offered to show me around campus and introduced me to all. Super nice super humble .
About three weeks ago, Scott got up from watching sports to give me a hug when I returned from my weekly surf session. He gave me the best hug and Kailey captured the moment. Scott was always so supportive of my passion to surf even in his final days. When I’d tell him I was leaving to go surf, he would always smile and say, “good.”
My heart breaks for my sister, Jor, & Kai’s tremendous loss. Greatly attributed to Scott’s commitment to family they provided compassion, empathy, and the purest form of love in caring for him. One of my fondest memories (there are many) is captured in my sister’s 2013 post and Jordan’s pics. I will miss Scott, Sheryl/Auntie
“It wouldn't be fair if I didn't share a photo of Scott all decked out in snorkel gear! Funny, when it was time to load the boat after swimming with the dolphins, the captain announced after taking a headcount that we were still missing two. Yep, Scott and my sister were missing in action! It turned out they were really far from the boat following a pod of dolphins to the very edge of the bay. At least they were together and when they finally got to the boat after the long swim back, we had a good laugh. Makes me laugh still, even after weeks later... I love those two!”
My heart breaks for my sister, Jor, and Kai’s tremendous loss. Greatly attributed to Scott’s commitment to his family they handled the journey with incredible care, empathy, compassion, and the purest form of love. One fond memory of Scott (there are many) is what my sister described in a 2013 blog post & Jordan’s snaps. I will miss Scott.
Love, Sheryl/Auntie
“It wouldn't be fair if I didn't share a photo of Scott all decked out in snorkel gear! Funny, when it was time to load the boat after swimming with the dolphins, the captain announced after taking a headcount that we were still missing two. Yep, Scott and my sister were missing in action! It turned out they were really far from the boat following a pod of dolphins to the very edge of the bay. At least they were together and when they finally got to the boat after the long swim back, we had a good laugh. Makes me laugh still, even after weeks later... I love those two!”
“Growing up” at Southwest, I remember when Lauri and Scott started carpooling to work together. We all saw the LUV connection immediately and probably made “Scott and Lauri sitting in a tree ….. K-I-S-S-I-N-G jokes”, because you know - - 6th grade sense of humor! Lauri, I clearly remember how adorable you guys were, and it was so much fun to see you two as you started your family and charted your future.
I will never forget Scott walking into my office at Southwest to tell me he was leaving for Hawaii because he was taking on a new role. He came in, shut the door and broke the news to me - - and it was such a sweet gesture, because he knew how much Kyle and I love Hawaii, and how special the islands are to us. I remember jokingly telling him (with somewhat colorful language) - - “I’m so happy for you - - -but it’s supposed to be ME that moves there first”. I know that he broke the news to me in private for just that reason - - he knew how special Hawaii is to me and Kyle. He knew we’d be thrilled for you guys, but also sad that we couldn’t do the same. And, that’s just who Scott was. He knew what was important to people, and he cared enough to lean in.
You’ve always been gracious hosts when we are on Oahu, and even though Scott couldn’t always “find the words” these last couple of years, he was still engaged in the conversation and could throw in a word here and there that would just make me laugh. Or, he’d go grab a picture off of a shelf to emphasize a story that we were talking about. His sense of humor was always in tact. And, he made us feel loved and appreciated. That’s an amazing person, who can do that without words.
Your family has always been so special to us, and we celebrate Scott and grieve this loss with you. We love you guys.
