J.C. Tim Scates

Attended
Mesa College, 1961-1963

Read Acceptance Remarks From Awards Ceremony

The late Tim Scates enjoyed every aspect of the private practice of law, as he had for over 30 years in Denver. His practice areas were finance, real estate, general corporate, commercial, and non-profit organizations. For over 20 years he had been rated an "a-v" attorney, the highest nationally recognized general rating. He also was a co-founder and executive in a Denver based search and recruiting business with operations in Colorado and the Midwest.

Tim's values and education were first instilled while growing up in and around Grand Junction, a son of a church planter and seminary president, the late Erskine E. Scates. Tim attended Mesa College (1961-63), where he was a faculty selection as an Outstanding Student. There, he acquired an enhanced desire for more education - encouraged and stimulated by faculty and administration members, notably Morton Perry (Social Science), Donald MacKendrick (Social Science), Esther Herr (English), Wayne Nelson (Director of Athletics), and Jay Tolman (Dean of Men).

His public school education was at G.J. Central H.S., where he was influenced in debate, speech communications, and drama by instructor and coach Madge Huffer, later a faculty member of Mesa State College.

After Mesa, Tim earned a B.A. degree at the University of Northern Colorado, where he was elected student government president. He was then hired as a Legislative Aide to the late Honorable Wayne N. Aspinall, Member of the U.S. House of Representatives.

He served in the U.S. Army First Infantry Division in South Vietnam near Cambodia along the Ho Chi Minh trails. Some 400 days later, he was combat decorated and returned to Congressman Aspinall's staff.

While continuing as a Legislative Aide, he attended law school where he was an American Jurisprudence Award scholar. Tim earned a Juris Doctor degree from the Washington College of Law, American University, Washington, D.C. After graduation, Tim and his wife Lynne returned to Denver, he passed his bar exams, and he commenced a life in the private practice of law, both as a transactional and litigation attorney.

In addition to representing corporate and institutional business and banking clients, Tim developed an expertise in church financing. For more than a decade he has been counsel to Cherry Hills Community Church, Highlands Ranch, Colorado, developing a 66-acre campus with facilities for over 7,000 adults and children. It is one project of over 130 church financing and construction projects in 30 states by Tim for his clients.

Tim is survived by wife Lynne and two adult daughters, Julie and Jll. He has served on bar, community, church, and college committees and boards. Tim was an avid golfer and his golf service included youth golf mentor and middle school golf coach. Since 1995, Tim was a survivor of Myasthenia Gravis and, since 2002, fought pancreatic and liver cancer. In July of 2004 Tim lost his battle with cancer.

Tim Scates 2003