Scott White Reed, 87, passed away May 2, 2015, looking out at Tubbs, the hill he dedicated his career to save.

Scott practiced law in Coeur d'Alene for 60 years. He became one of the West's leading experts in environmental and water law, and one of Idaho's greatest troublemakers. With Art Manley, he helped save the land for what is now McEuen Park. Together, they led a successful campaign to preserve Tubbs Hill. He waged a landmark environmental battle to prevent the interstate highway from gutting historic downtown Wallace. He won a settlement to create the Centennial Trail bike and pedestrian path at Higgens Point. He led a 30-year crusade to keep Sanders Beach open to the public. Scott spent two years as Assistant U.S. Attorney in Boise. Over his career he argued more than 60 cases before the Idaho Supreme Court.

Scott was born April 26, 1928, in Klamath Falls, Ore., to Margaret and Nelson Reed. He earned a history degree from Princeton and a law degree from Stanford. As a lieutenant in the U.S. Army, he fought the Korean War in Germany.

In 1953, he married Mary Lou Case, also of Klamath Falls. They celebrated their 61st anniversary this past October. Scott and Mary Lou moved to Coeur d'Alene in 1955 after searching the Pacific Northwest for the most beautiful place to live. They have devoted the past 60 years to keeping it that way.

Scott had a long civic career as a member of the Coeur d'Alene Planning Commission, the North Idaho College Board of Trustees, the Idaho Water Resources Board, the Idaho Nature Conservancy Board and the Idaho Legal History Society Board. He helped found the Kootenai Environmental Alliance, served on the Western Environmental Law Center Board, and spent 18 years on the National Audubon Society Board of Directors as the token bird hunter.

Scott received numerous awards for his environmental work, including the 1969 American Motors Corporation Conservation Award, the 1971 Rocky Mountain Center on Environment Award, the Idaho Wildlife Federation Governors' Award as 1971 Conservationist of the Year, and with Mary Lou, Idaho Wildlife's 1984 Idaho Conservationists of the Year Award, the Idaho Rivers United Idaho Legacy Award and the Fund for Idaho Nelle Tobias Philanthropy Award. He also received the Idaho State Bar Association Professionalism Award, the University of Idaho President's Medallion, the Idaho Legal History Society Justice Byron Johnson Distinguished Service Award and the Idaho Bar Association Distinguished Lawyer Award. In 2014, he and Mary Lou were named to the Idaho Hall of Fame.

Scott was a joyous gardener, an avid sportsman and an accomplished writer. He wrote a regular column, "The Tilted Windmill," for The Advocate, the Idaho Bar Association journal. He is the author of two books: The Treasure Called Tubbs Hill, published in 2008, and The Coroner's Report, a history of 19th century unrest in the Silver Valley that will be published this summer.

Scott is survived by his wife, Mary Lou; their two children, Tara and Bruce; their daughter-in-law Bonnie LePard and son-in-law Jerry Woolpy; and four grandchildren: Julia, Nelson, Sarah and Anna.

At his request, there will be no memorial service.

Donations may be sent to the Kootenai Environmental Alliance, P.O. Box 1598, Coeur d'Alene, ID 83816; Idaho Conservation League, P.O. Box 844, Boise, ID 83702; or the Idaho Nature Conservancy, 116 First Ave. N., Hailey, ID 83333.

You may visit Scott's online memorial and sign his guest book at www.yatesfuneralhomes.com.