Scott Daniel Schram

March 25, 1976--Dec. 15, 2010

WESTMINSTER, Colorado -- Scott Daniel Schram, 34, died Wednesday (Dec. 15, 2010), ending a 15-year, courageous struggle with mental illness.

On March 25, 1976, in Ord, Nebraska, Scott was born to Daniel Roy and Michele Ann Diehl Schram. Scott was the youngest of four children, three boys and one girl: Brian, Steven, and Lisa. Scott was several years younger than his older brother,s and when he was young Brian and Steve frequently argued about whom little Scott liked better. Scott had a strong affinity for his dad, and for much of his childhood insisted on being called Danny.

Scott always had a compassionate heart, and demonstrated that by working at a nursing home as a teenager.

Scott graduated from Arvada West High School in Arvada, Colorado in 1994 and attended Metropolitan State University in Denver, Colorado.

At the age of 19, Scott was diagnosed with schizophrenia. Scott began an exhaustive search for a career that could be sustained with his disability. His endeavors included: modeling, acting, food service, computer customer service and Internet-based retail. However, massage therapy might have been his greatest calling.

In 2007, he graduated from the Cortiva School of Massage. He subsequently performed freelance massage therapy in addition to providing massage therapy for the Colorado Rapids, a Major League Soccer team, and the Colorado 14ers, a National Basketball Association Development League team.

Scott attempted to continue his career development right up to the months preceding his death. He applied for readmission to Metropolitan State University, updated his resume, and began taking steps to revive his Internet-based business: Resonation Custom Car Supply.

Scott's interests and hobbies were numerous and diverse: Nebraska football, weight training, racquetball, cycling, photography, the study of nutritional herbs, snowboarding, computer programming, guitar, music, stereo speaker cabinet design, gaming and golf.

When Scott's health made it possible, he enjoyed traveling with his parents, visiting with family, and playing with his nieces and nephews.

Scott, and his mother, enjoyed visiting museums, bowling, and touring various businesses in the Denver area. They also enjoyed watching movies and television together.

Scott, and his father, enjoyed fishing at local lakes and wood and metal crafting.

Scott was a gentle and loving son, brother, uncle, grandson, cousin, and nephew. In spite of his constant suffering, he never lashed out at others or grew angry and bitter.

Scott was preceded in death by two uncles, Sam Schram and Roy Reimer; and his grandfather Wesley Schram.

Scott is survived by his parents, Daniel and Michele of Westminster, Colorado; brothers, Brian and wife, Heather of Golden, Colorado and Steven and wife, Nancy of Colorado Springs, Colorado; sister, Lisa Fatovic and husband, Eric Fatovic of Broomfield, Colorado; grandparents John and Julia Diehl of Stratton, Nebraska; grandmother, Mildred of Ponca, Nebraska; three nephews; three nieces; 12 uncles; 15 aunts; 43 cousins; and his constant companion, Sebastian, the beagle.

Memorial services to celebrate Scott's life are Monday, 1:30 p.m. MST, at Northern Hills Church at 5061 E. 160th Avenue, Brighton, Colorado. Graveside services are at Rose Hill Cemetery in Stratton, Nebraska at a date to be determined.

Please visit Scott's memorial website at www.forevermissed.com/scottschram.

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that donations be made to the National Alliance on Mental Illness at www.nami.org/myNAMICause/Memorials/scottschram.