Scott J. Reading
Scott J. Reading of Redlands, who had a 31-year career with Household Finance Corp, died on Feb. 2, 2023, after a long battle with cancer. He was 79. He was born in 1944 in Patterson, California, but the family soon relocated to Redlands. He attended Redlands High, graduating in 1962. He attended San Bernardino Valley College and married Rita Kay Hadwiger. In 1964, he joined Household International, Inc. as a manager trainee in the company’s consumer finance subsidiary, Household Finance Corp. He advanced into the senior executive ranks, serving in various locations in domestic and international operations, including assignments as general manager of an operating division, president of a chain of consumer banks and senior vice president, director of human resources. He also founded and served as managing director of the company’s mortgage acquisition business, growing it from an initial project team to one of the company’s most profitable business units. During his career he completed his education, receiving a bachelor’s degree in management from Saint Mary’s College in Notre Dame, Indiana. Retiring from Household in 1995, he joined AMRESCO Inc. and founded its residential mortgage banking business, serving as president and CEO, and building it into one of the largest acquirers of non-prime mortgages in the nation until the company was sold to Lehman Brothers. He spent the last years of his career consulting in the mortgage industry and finally retired in 2005. An avid golfer, he was a 29-year member of the Redlands Country Club, serving on various committees, the board of directors and as president. He had a golden retriever, followed the Lakers and drove a BMW 850ci. He is survived by his wife of 58 years, Rita; sister Laurel Miller of Mountain Home Village, brother Randy Reading of Redlands, brother Clark Reading and his wife Karla of Shingle Springs, California; and three children, Richard Reading and his wife Brittany of Redlands, Crystal Tax of Redlands and Jordan Reading of Marysville, California, six granddaughters and three great-grandchildren. A celebration of life will be held at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 18, at at the Redlands Country Club. Emmerson-Bartlett Memorial Chapel is making the arrangements.
