Donald Scott III of St. James, NY

Don was born in New York City on January 1, 1936 to Dr. Donald Scott Jr and Nanette (Wise) Scott, spent most of his youth in Gladwyne PA, and summered at the family home on Lloyd Neck. He attended Germantown Friends School and Reed College in Portland OR, as well as served in the Air Force Reserve. He subsequently lived and worked in Manhattan until the mid 1970’s. He then lived in the family home on River Road in St. James with his wife Lisa (Wurm) and son Charles Channing until his death on September 3, 2021.

It was during his service in the Air Force Reserve that he developed a love for engineering and mechanical tinkering. He was a motorcycle enthusiast and avid racing fan, having ridden a Triumph Tiger Cub across much of England, Holland and France in 1960. He was also fond of regular trips to venues such as Lime Rock Park and the Antique Boat Museum in Clayton, NY.

Don was a passionate outdoorsman and environmentalist. He led many Sierra Club canoe trips in the NY Metro area as the longtime chair of the Atlantic Chapter River Touring Committee and personally paddled his canoes and kayaks in his literal backyard, the Nissequogue River. It was during one of his trips down the Nissequogue that he met his wife, Lisa. He also ventured further afield, canoeing in Algonquin Park and four largely “unexplored” Northern Canadian rivers: the Kazan, the Coppermine, the Horton, and the Ellice in the 1970’s. He sailed his catamaran for lengthy outings through the Northeast with favorite ports of call in Mystic CT, Block Island, and Nantucket. Later in life he enjoyed sailing in many parts of the Caribbean as well as boating along rivers in France and England.

He was a life member of the Clan Scott Society, the Sierra Club and the Nature Conservancy. He was a loving owner of a succession of Newfoundland dogs from the early 1960’s through his current rescue Newf Sammie and took special pride in providing pet therapy at nursing homes and elementary schools, receiving Volunteer Of The Year recognition for his service at Smithtown Nursing Home.

Don will be profoundly missed by his wife Lisa, son Chuck, daughter in law Felicia, and the little loves of his life: granddaughters Jocelyn Alice and Juliet Flora of Stony Brook.

Donations in Don’s memory are appreciated to either Earthjustice “Because the earth needs a good lawyer” https://earthjustice.org/ or That Newfoundland Place “Rescue with a Heart” https://thatnewfoundlandplace.org .