In Memory of Scott Baldwin Smith

Scott Baldwin Smith

1963-2017

Scott Baldwin Smith, 53, beloved husband, father, son, teacher and friend, died from lung cancer on July 22, 2017, surrounded by family at his home in SE Portland. A cherished history professor at Linfield College, Scott lived and modeled a life of learning.  Relying on primary sources, his own misadventures in the Soviet Union and Russia, as well as his legendary wit, Scott brought history alive for his students. His book, Captives of Revolution: The Socialist Revolutionaries and the Bolshevik Dictatorship, 1918-1923, reflected years of archival research abroad and was recognized in the field as a major achievement. Yet his interests ranged far beyond early Soviet history. An intellectual even by academic standards, Scott enlightened and inspired students and colleagues with courses on Russian literature, western European history and culture, political violence and genocide.  Scott’s unfailing curiosity and great powers of analysis drew him to subjects as various as the fiction of Nikolai Gogol, anthropology, ornithology and alpine climbing.  He had an opinion on everything, the knowledge and experiences to back it up, and the precise language (English, Russian, German, French) in which to express it.

Scott grew up in Andover, Massachusetts, attended Yale University, and received his Ph.D in history from Harvard University.  In his first week at Yale, Scott met Lisa Hay, who became his friend, joyful comrade, and wife. Together they lived in San Francisco, Moscow, and Boston, finally landing in Portland in 1997, where they raised their two daughters, Sarah, 24, and Hannah, 22.  Scott’s love of learning was surpassed only by love for family, and he combined these passions in his animated engagement in family life, from competitive Boggle tournaments to planning memorable trips in Oregon and abroad. In these travels, the family was often joyfully accompanied by Scott’s father Nat Smith and step-mother ’Cilla Bonney-Smith.  Scott was most proud to have followed in his father’s footsteps as an educator and to have raised two thoughtful, independent, and athletic daughters. Scott’s own athleticism was remarkable: once an A-level squash player, he later became a competitive cyclist – sometimes commuting from McMinnville to Portland by bike -- and in 2008 he summited Denali. 

Living a life of robust curiosity, vigor, playfulness, and integrity, Scott came to be widely loved and respected.  He is now deeply and permanently mourned, not only by family, including sister Katina McKinney, stepbrothers James and Philip Bellizia, mother-in-law Maija Hay, and their families, but also by the many groups he enriched with his humor, kindness, and commitment:  Linfield College, Reed College, Phillips Andover Academy, Yale and Harvard, the Portland squash community, the Friday Frolic cyclists, the Portland criminal defense community, and friends in Greensboro, Vermont.  Though diminished without him, all are immensely grateful to have known him.  

A memorial service in Portland is planned for Saturday July 29^th at 4 pm. Please send an email to ScottBaldwinSmithMemorial@gmail.com for the location.  The family has created an award in Scott’s name at Linfield College to recognize a first year student who displays the curiosity, wit and intelligence exemplified in Scott. Contributions can be made at https://www.linfield.edu/secure/give.php (choose “other” and write in Scott Smith).