With faith in the promise that nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ, we announce that Scott A. McAfee, 69, entered into eternal rest on August 21, 2025, at his cherished Hidden Ridge Ranch, surrounded by his loving family.

Life Journey

Born September 30, 1955, to John and Dolores McAfee, Scott grew up on Long Island in an era when children roamed the subdivision on bicycles and played baseball in the street. He described those days as "innocent," a time of neighborhood freedom and harmless trouble that shaped his trailblazing spirit.

A standout student with a photographic memory and exceptional mathematical abilities, Scott excelled in school without cracking a book. He attended an elementary school for gifted students, but soon grew bored even in that accelerated learning environment. He displayed an avid love for books and was well-known for reading and finishing a book every day, a daily routine which became a lifelong habit. He also played baseball in his youth and was a talented left-handed pitcher. He would go on to earn a BS in Accounting at New York University.

Career & Achievement

Scott began his career as an accountant at Peat Marwick Mitchell & Co. Bored with accounting, however, Scott jumped to Wall Street, accepting a role at the former Prudential Bache Securities to oversee its Caribbean banking operations during a time when Castro had placed bounties on the heads of American businessmen. After forging success there, he was tapped to oversee and improve its Canadian banking operations in Toronto.

Returning to the states, he wagered a bet to turn around the consumer finance division at Security Pacific Bank, where he proved success and led the group to become the bank’s largest profit center. He was subsequently named one of Mortgage Banker Association’s “Top 40 under 40 Bankers.”

Upon the acquisition of Security Pacific by Bank of America, Scott retired for the first time, but his entrepreneurial spirit took hold. In 1996, he began a venture with Apollo Global Management to purchase the assets of Weyerhaeuser Corporation to create WMC, a consumer finance business boasting the first fully web-based wholesale mortgage origination business in the industry.

As President and CEO of WMC, Scott employed hundreds of people, always leading with integrity and vision. Under his leadership, the company thrived. However, as the subprime mortgage market began to weaken in the early-2000’s, Scott identified the underlying signs of a looming crisis, and in 2003 sold his mortgage company to General Electric, becoming the cornerstone for GE’s consumer finance division. This decision, while extremely difficult, was a stroke of genius. The subsequent financial crisis of 2007 proved disastrous for the mortgage industry and wiped out many of Scott’s former competitors.

True to his goal of retiring in his 40s, Scott resisted numerous offers to return to finance and instead chose to spend quality time with his family before moving to Texas in 2013 to build his dream ranch. He was a transplant to Texas, but being a transplant wasn't foreign to him. He left his childhood home in Farmingdale, NY, to embark on what many would call a nomadic life where he called many places "home," from Manhattan to San Juan, London, New Jersey, Toronto, Newport Beach, Lahaina, and ultimately to Clifton, Texas.

Family & Love

It was in Puerto Rico where Scott met Cynthia Nazimek, who arrived to audit his division's operations in July 1983. On September 2, 1984, Scott and Cynthia united in a loving marriage that flourished for 40 years. Together they produced two sons, Douglas and Stephen, to whom Scott passed on his talents, intelligence, and strong work ethic. He gave selflessly to his family to give them a life of opportunities and rich experiences.

Passions & Interests

Scott poured his enthusiasm and intellectual curiosity into his passions, which spanned across many domains. Following in the footsteps of his father, Scott became an aviation enthusiast from the cradle. He built and raced radio-controlled model airplanes, becoming a teenage phenom who literally ran Arlo’s Hobby Shop in East Meadow, Long Island, at just 14 years of age. Even as a successful executive, he continued racing high-performance RC models on weekends, amassing a trophy collection of national victories.

Golfing was another of his passions, taken up in earnest while living in Newport Beach. He played as many rounds as he could with close friends and passed on his fervor for the sport to his sons. Yet, it was that early craftsmanship Scott developed working on his model aircraft side-by-side with his dad that led to Scott’s great passion for woodworking. He built his family home’s first set of furniture and all sorts of other creations. Over time, he assembled a world-class workshop boasting every conceivable tool for every possible project – a testament to his love of working with his hands as well as with his mind.

Arriving in Texas to build his forever home was, for Scott, like a child arriving at Disneyland as he accumulated and put to use heavy tools and equipment. Scott tirelessly cleared invasive brush throughout his property to create his own little slice of heaven, unveiling a breathtaking view that inspired the name: Hidden Ridge Ranch. With characteristic determination he repaired everything from fences to gates to vehicles, operated heavy machinery, cleared fields to restore productive farmland, and constructed a dam and shooting range. As he settled into his new home in Texas, Scott took joy in its beauty and vast open space. A licensed pilot, he loved to roam the skies above his ranch in his Cessna 182. He became an accomplished marksman and gunsmith, and his workshop became a gathering place for bonding with his sons and friends over shared projects.

Community & Legacy

Upon their arrival in Texas, Scott and Cindy were overwhelmed by the heartfelt embrace of the Bosque County community. This community was openly demonstrative with its love of the Lord and Scott immediately felt at home. Scott formed genuine connections with folks he greatly respected, and forged true, lasting, and meaningful friendships that profoundly enriched his life. Scott and Cindy became very involved with many local organizations, including Holy Angels Catholic Church, the Bosque Museum, the Bosque Arts Center, and the Goodall-Witcher Hospital.

For three-and-a-half years, Scott heroically battled pancreatic cancer, a testament to his notorious strength, mental resolve, and indomitable spirit. Scott was a remarkable visionary and respected by all who knew him – a true and honest man, gifted with exceptional abilities yet generous in spirit. Yes, he was a "stubborn McAfee," but as the family would say with a smile, that was never a problem because he was always right about everything.

He is survived by his beloved wife of 40 years, Cynthia; sons Douglas and Stephen; and his siblings Suzanne Knutson, Sheryl McAfee, and Stuart McAfee, along with nieces and nephew.

Service Information:

Memorial on Friday, October 3rd 11:00 am at Hidden Ridge Ranch Clifton, TX.

Coffee & juice at 10:30, luncheon afterwards.

If you would like to send flowers, please reach out to the local florists listed below or other:

Blossom Shop 

Phone 254-675-3444

Pippy’s Petals

Phone 254-675-0196

Memorial gifts to support pancreatic cancer research can be made to the Medical College of Wisconsin, 

Attn: Office of Institutional Advancement, P.O. Box 26509, Milwaukee, WI 53226-0509.