Scott Wilson, a longtime Eagle Rock resident, retired teacher and landscape architect who was instrumental in the greening of large parts of the neighborhood, died Monday morning from a weekend fall sustained while cutting flowers from a tree in the garden of his Olson Street home. He was 89.
Shortly after the incident Saturday, paramedics rushed Wilson to Glendale Adventist Hospital, where he never regained consciousness, said his daughter Christine Richards. He passed away peacefully at the hospital, with his family present by his side, she added.
In 1989 Wilson founded North East Trees, a nonprofit environmental group devoted to planting at least five trees a day for the rest of his life—more than 50,000 so far—as well as ensuring jobs in the green industry for at-risk youth.
A keen mentor, Wilson was a constant—and ever-cheerful—organizer of tree planting drives in Eagle Rock and beyond. Among the numerous trees he is credited with planting is a string of oaks about 30 years old in Occidental College that are scheduled to be cut down to make way for a state-of-the-art solar array project on the campus.
Some 20 years ago, Wilson also planted many of the trees that line Townsend Avenue today.
“Everybody knew my dad and everybody has a story about him,” said Richards. “He has positively impacted so many people's lives and will be dearly missed.”
A tribute to Wilson, a celebration of his life, is planned from 2-5 p.m., Sunday, November 27, at the on Hermosa Avenue.
Note: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated the date on which a tribute to Scott Wilson is planned. The correct date is November 27—not November 12. Some other details from the original version have also been edited out at the Wilson family's request to protect their privacy.
