Jan Scott Hesbon

Jan Scott Hesbon of Saranac Lake, NY passed away from Parkinson’s complications on March 31, 2026, at Elderwood in Lake Placid, NY. His warm-hearted nature, passion for outdoor recreation and conservation, and witty humor will be greatly missed.

Jan was born on November 7, 1946, and grew up in Phelps, NY. He graduated from SUNY-Oswego in 1968 where he became involved with a Methodist youth group that shaped a life-long commitment to peace and social justice. After college, he spent a year teaching high school social studies in upstate New York. During the Vietnam War, he applied for conscientious objector status. Although he was initially denied, he successfully appealed and spent his alternative service in upstate NY leading substance abuse counseling.

He began working for the Red Cross in the 1970s and eventually moved to Virginia to work as a fundraiser at the Red Cross headquarters. In the 1980s, he moved to Nyack, NY, to work as the development director of the Fellowship of Reconciliation, the oldest interfaith peace organization in the United States. It was there that he married Jo Becker in 1988, and they were married for more than 25 years.

In the 1980s, Jan was deeply involved in peace and social justice work related to Central America. He was a volunteer with Rocklanders for Peace in Central America, led an initiative to seek “sanctuary city” status for Rockland County, NY, and worked with an overground railroad to support a refugee from El Salvador.

Jan worked for the Paulist Fathers in the late 1980s and then transitioned to environmental protection work, which was his passion for the rest of his career. He worked in development for several leading US environmental organizations, including the National Resources Defense Council, the National Audubon Society, and The Nature Conservancy. He also served as the executive director of the NY/NJ Trail Conference, the development director of the Finger Lakes Land Trust, and the President of the Philanthropic Planning Group of Greater New York.

Jan spent more than a decade as a volunteer corridor manager for a 10-mile stretch of the Appalachian Trail in Orange County, NY. He also served as board chair for the Sterling Forest Partnership, an organization that worked to preserve nearly 20,000 acres of natural habitat in the Hudson Valley. Jan's passion for human rights and nature preservation was well known, and his many achievements helped to advance those causes further.

He had many other interests, including woodworking and travel. Jan was a skilled woodworker and renovated several homes. His international adventures included a trip to the Galapagos while working for the National Audubon Society and trekking through the Himalayas of Nepal.

The Adirondacks were always his favorite place, and after his retirement, he resettled in Saranac Lake, NY. He was happiest when hiking, camping, or paddling his canoe, and had many fun adventures in the Adirondack Park.

Jan volunteered for several local organizations, including the Winter Carnival and the Adirondack Carousel. He enjoyed spending time with friends, including Jack and Phyllis Drury. His dry wit and sense of humor were a constant enjoyment to those around him. Later in life, he met his loving partner, Dr. Judith Steinberg. They had a commitment ceremony in 2021. Jan showed her how to love again and see the world anew. He inspired and reminded her and others to slow down, be present, have a laugh, and look up.

He will be missed by family, including sisters Barbara Sanford (James) and Becky Hesbon, brother Jeffrey Hesbon, nieces Samantha Sanford-Mereau (Matthew) and Tiffany Smith-Nardella (Michael), great nephew Jack Tumminelli, and great niece Ava Mereau. He will also be missed by many colleagues and friends from throughout his life.

Funeral arrangements are in care of the Fortune-Keough Funeral Home in Saranac Lake. There will be a celebration of life at a later time. In place of flowers, please consider donating to causes he championed. Continue his legacy and build yours by giving to the National Resources Defense Council, the Adirondack Carousel, or the Tri-Lakes Humane Society.