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September 30, 1961 — October 23, 2024

Scott Michael Novak, 63, of Dowagiac, passed away Wednesday, Oct. 23, 2024, after an extended illness. Scott was born Sept. 30, 1961, to Edward and Naomi “Nome” Novak, both of whom preceded him in death. He married the love of his life, Carol Page Novak, on Dec. 8, 1990, in Dowagiac. Carol preceded him in death on April 18, 2018. Together they had a daughter, Kirsten, who survives.

Scott was a fixture in the southwest Michigan sports community. While a junior at Decatur High School, he began covering sports as a photo stringer for the Dowagiac Daily News. One night, the writer assigned to a basketball game was unable to attend the game Scott was photographing, so he wrote the story, too.

So began a 42-year career in covering sports at Leader Publications, where Scott eventually became sports editor and never turned back. Most evenings and weekends for more than four decades, he could be found on the sidelines, in press boxes or in locker rooms, chronicling the wins and losses of everything from football and basketball to motocross and cross country.

To Scott, local sports were about so much more than points on a scoreboard. He enjoyed getting to know local athletes for not only their athletic ability, but their character, and sharing their stories for posterity. He took great pride in showing up for local sports programs no matter how successful the season, and became an honorary member of not only his hometown Chieftains’ fan club, but also the Bobcats, Bucks, Vikings, Rangers and Eddies. His diligent reporting, creative feature writing and honest opinion commentary won him and Leader Publications’ newspapers dozens of awards through the Michigan Press Association, Michigan High School Athletic Association, the Basketball Coaches Association of Michigan and the Associated Press. 

Scott developed deep friendships with coaches, officials, athletic directors and athletes at every level, and could share statistics and plays from decades before as if they happened recently. He enjoyed watching multiple generations of families go through sports programs, reminding young athletes of their parents’ glory days — because he saw them himself.

In addition to sports, Scott loved music — especially country, classic rock and Christmas music (which he made his coworkers listen to beginning at Labor Day every year). As an added perk of working in the media, he enjoyed checking many celebrity interviews off his bucket list, interviewing stars like Tommy James and Kenny Loggins. In his spare time he enjoyed attending concerts with friends and loved ones, baking and cooking, hanging out with his family (including his beloved cats!), and catching up on TV shows like The Voice. Scott was a beloved husband and father, a cherished colleague, and an icon in southwest Michigan.

He and his byline will be sorely missed.

Scott is survived by his daughter, Kirsten Novak (Jordan Yaciw); three brothers, Lance (Laura) Novak, Chris (Joan) Novak, and Carl (Barbara) Novak; his mother-in-law, Sharon Harnden; brother-in-law Russel (Loria) Page; several nieces and nephews; and close friends Amelio Rodriguez, Ambrosia Neldon, Sandy Neldon, Donna Knight, and John Eby, among many more loved ones including his grandcat Olaf, who he shared many naps, snacks, and enjoyed watching sports with.

A service to celebrate Scott’s life will be held on Saturday, Nov. 2, at First United Methodist Church, 326 N. Lowe St., Dowagiac, with visitation from noon until the time of service at 4 p.m.. Memorial contributions may be directed to the donor’s local sports organization.

Arrangements were entrusted to Clark Chapel – Starks Family Funeral Homes, Dowagiac. Please visit Scott’s personalized webpage to share a memory or leave a condolence to his family at www.clarkch.com.