Jonathan LaVon "Scotty" Scott

1930 - 2023

Jonathan LaVon "Scotty" Scott
February 2, 1930 - January 18, 2023
McCall, Idaho - Jonathan LaVon "Scotty" Scott, of McCall, Idaho, passed away peacefully on January 18, 2023, surrounded by his family at Eisenhower Hospital, Rancho Mirage, California, at the age of 92.
Scotty was born on February 2, 1930, in Nampa, Idaho, to Buell Bonnie and Jewel Pearl (Horn) Scott and grew up in Homedale, Idaho, where he graduated from high school in 1948. A gifted athlete, he lettered in football, boxing, basketball, and track and accepted a football scholarship to the College of Idaho. Scotty graduated in 1952 after three and a half years with a Bachelor of Arts Degree and Magna Cum Laude honors. His post-graduate achievements included the Advanced Management Program at Harvard University, the Aspen Institute, and the IBM Computer Executive Program.
While in college, Scotty became one of the first Smokejumpers based in McCall, Idaho. Making 30 fire jumps - including an impressive 14 fire-jump season in 1949 – he ended his Smokejumper tenure as squad leader in 1951. Scotty carried the stories and friendships of his Smokejumper career throughout the remainder of his life as some of his most cherished memories.
In 1952 Scotty's military service began in the Idaho Army National Guard, after which he was recruited to work as a covert operative for the Central Intelligence Agency. After two years in Asia, he returned home and went into the United States Air Force as a fighter pilot. He completed his military service as a First Lieutenant having broken the speed of sound in both the F-86 Saber and F-89 Scorpion fighter jets. Again, the friendships and experiences he had as a fighter pilot became the hallmarks of his extraordinary life.
In 1955 Scotty started in the Management Training Program at Albertson, Inc. becoming President and CEO by 1965 at the age of 35. In conjunction with Skaggs drug stores, Scotty pioneered the revolutionary "combo" grocery/drug store that is the modern grocery store of today. Recruited to become CEO of The Great Atlantic and Pacific Tea Company (A&P), headquartered in Montvale, New Jersey, he ran what was at the time the largest retail grocery company in the United States. In 1980 Scotty started JLS Enterprises and also became a consultant for Saudi Arabian Prince Talal bin Abdulaziz and later his son, Prince Al Waleed bin Talal Al Saud, where they eventually built the largest supermarket chain in the country.
1987 found Scotty back in the corporate world as CEO of American Super Stores located in Pennsylvania. In 1988 he became the CEO of parent company American Stores and with the merger of Lucky and Alpha Beta stores created the nation's then largest supermarket chain of some 567 stores.
Scotty was well regarded among his peers serving on many Boards of Directors including Albertsons, Idaho First National Bank, Home Federal & Savings Company, Idaho Power Company, Bendix, United Technology, Inc., Morrison Knudsen, Inc., Trus Joist, American Stores, and Allied. He also served as a Director for many non-profit organizations as well including the National Boys Club of America, the United Fund, the Red Cross, the YMCA, and the J.A. and Kathryn Albertson Family Foundation.
After partially retiring in 1992, and fully retiring in 2000, Scotty spent the remainder of his life with family and friends. On his 80th birthday he went helicopter skiing and on his 90th birthday he hiked the famed "Ladders" trail in Indio, California. Scotty was an avid general aviation pilot, big game hunter, Harley rider, and risk-taking adventurer throughout his life. He passed this passion for life on to his children and grandchildren and to most that came to know him. Honored to have shared his life are: his children, Joseph B. Scott, Anthony R. Scott (deceased) (married Barbara Albertson Neumann), Richard T. Scott, and Daniel R. Scott (married Dolores Hormaechea Chapman); and step children (whom he considered his own) Gerald B. McFerren and Kristine M. Daly, his sister Bonnie Lou Hernandez, his grandchildren Ryan Scott, Paige Scott, Casey Scott, Jamie Scott, Tony Scott, Brian Scott, Elizabeth Scott, Andy Scott, and Sean Daly, and his great-grandchildren Bode Skillern, Buell MacMillan, August Scott, Monroe Scott, Brielle Scott, and Jo Jo Scott. Scotty was blessed when he married his best friend and the love of his life, Pat. She will miss him dearly and thanks God for the 40+ years they had together.
You were forever changed if you got to know Scotty. His smile opened your heart and his passion for life made anything feel possible. With a wink and a touch of your hand, he invited you to join him to see and do things others could only dream of. The only measure equal to how much he will be missed – is how much he was loved. Private funeral services were held at Morris Hill Cemetery in Boise, Idaho.