VOORHEESVILLE — A shy man who valued camaraderie, R. Scott Pease loved his wife, his children, and his grandchildren but also considered his friends at the local American Legion Post, gun club, and tavern his family, too.

Mr. Pease died on Thursday, Feb. 12, 2015, after a long illness. He was 52.

Born in Nyack, New York, he was the son of Elaine (née Larder) May of Thornton, Colorado and the late Ronald Pease Sr. His father died when he was 4 and then, after his mother remarried, his stepfather died when he was 7.

He adored his own children and grandchildren, his wife said. “He had three princesses,” she said. “He called Cassie P1, Sierra P2, and Gabby P3....His children loved him to death.”

Mr. Pease served and was honorably discharged from the United States Navy. He served aboard the USS Ranger during the United States-led 1983 invasion of Grenada, and was stationed on the island of Diego Garcia.

“He liked the service,” said his wife, “but he was glad to get out.” That was in 1987, and he moved to Voorheesville, where his mother was living. “The first thing he did was join the Legion Post,” said his wife.

Also, after he got out of the Navy, he went to Menands to look up his boyhood friend, Ridge Macdonald. “I lived across the street from Ridge,” recalled Mrs. Hull-Pease. “Ridge and Jill, who is now his wife, had a date. When Scott showed up, Ridge didn’t want to hurt his feelings, so he invited Scott on the date. Then he invited me so Scott wouldn’t feel like a third wheel.”

Asked if it was love at first sight, Mrs. Hull-Pease said, “Maybe love at second sight.” Their second date was when he asked her to spend a day on his boat on Sacandaga Lake. “He was just a nice guy,” said his wife.

Both of Mr. Pease’s parents worked for the telephone company and he followed suit. He worked for NY Telephone, Verizon from 1987 until he retired on Dec. 31, 2012.

Mr. Pease started doing installation and repair work and then became a locator. “When people were going to dig,” his wife explained, “he would locate where the wires were.”

She went on, “He loved his work.” What he loved about it were the people he worked with — “the other guys that did what he did, and the girls he called for jobs.” He would play practical jokes on them, which they enjoyed, she said.

She also said, “When you first met Scott, he was shy. Once he started to work for Verizon, he got to know the guys, and they became very close.” The same was true of other groups he belonged to.

 “Scott was lucky enough to be a part of many families,” his family wrote in a tribute. “He was a part of the Verizon Family, Smitty’s Family, Voorheesville Rod and Gun Club Family and most especially his Voorheesville American Legion Post 1493 Family.”

“He liked the camaraderie. They seemed to all bond,” said Mrs. Hull-Pease of the groups of friends that hung out at Smitty’s tavern, or the rod and gun club, or the Legion Post — all in Voorheesville. “That goes for me, too. It’s more than being part of an organization; you’re part of a family.”

Since her husband’s death last week, she said, “I’m in awe will all the calls...It’s amazing to me how many people Scott touched.”

One of the things she learned from her husband, Mrs. Hull-Pease said, is: “Life is too short. You have to enjoy it.”

She gave this example: He decided to retire in December 2012. “I said, ‘Scott, you’re only 50 years old.’ I wasn’t happy, but I supported him. Looking back, I’m so glad he did. He had one year to enjoy himself.”

In February 2014, Mr. Pease was diagnosed with lung cancer.

Mrs. Hull-Pease concluded of her husband, “He was a shy guy but, once you got to know him, he would give you the world.”

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He is survived by his wife, Robin Hull-Pease; his children, Cassandra and Sierra Pease of Voorheesville and Dorothea Medina of Menands; his grandchildren, Gabriela, Delia, and Joel; his sister, Evelyn Thornton and her husband, Frank of Thornton, Colorado; his brothers, Ronald F. Pease of Berne and Robert Pease and his wife, Marla, of Palmyra; and many nieces, nephews, great nieces and great nephews.

Funeral services will be held at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 18, at the Reilly & Son Funeral Home at 1200 Central Ave. in Colonie. Burial will be in St. Agnes Cemetery in Menands.  Calling hours will be Tuesday from 4 to 8 p.m. in the funeral home.

Memorial contributions may be made to The Ride to Conquer Cancer. Robert Norrie will be making the ride to raise funds for the Cancer Research Institute. On the memo line or back of the check, contributors should write “Robert Norrie, participant # 1330521-5”; the check should be mailed to Reilly & Son Funeral Home, 1200 Central Ave., Colonie, NY 12205.

— Melissa Hale-Spencer