Scott Alan Lehecka

Scott Alan Lehecka, 69, passed away suddenly on July 24, 2025, at his home in Katy, Texas. He was a much-loved husband, son-in-law, brother, uncle, and cousin who could light up a room with his smile and a joke or funny story to fit the moment and mood. He was quick to offer a helping hand to anyone in need, and happily shared his tools, recipes, music playlists, favorite books, and news with family, friends, and neighbors.

Scott was born and raised in the Midwest, growing up in Chicago and Pittsburgh with a lifelong passion for politics and justice. He majored in journalism and obtained his bachelor's degree from Pennsylvania State University in 1978, then moved to Texas and obtained his law degree from the University of Texas at Austin in 1981. Scott became an insightful and talented lawyer, starting his career with six years at the Texas Attorney General's Office as an environmental prosecutor. He followed that with several years as an environmental defense attorney with the law firm Morgan Lewis, then joined the legal department of Atlantic Richfield Company (ARCO) in Los Angeles as a senior environmental attorney for ten years. After leaving ARCO, Scott continued to work on environmental issues in private practice at Hanna & Morton, and as a senior attorney in the legal department of General Electric Company (GE) in New York.

Scott was a gifted storyteller who could condense complex legal issues into a short and memorable tale. When he retired from the practice of law, he began drafting a novel about the legal, ethical, and business challenges that arise when a fictional corporation tries to market an innovative technology with promising environmental benefits, as well as undisclosed potential risks. He was working on his first novel when he passed away.

Scott met his first wife, Frances Kowalski, as an undergraduate at Penn State. They married in Austin in 1981 and divorced in 1994. Scott met his second wife, Jeannie (Jean) Martin, when she became his colleague at ARCO in 1996. They discovered a shared love of hiking, skiing, beach strolls along the Venice boardwalk, browsing bookstores in Santa Monica, jazz, popular and classical music, and picnics at the Hollywood Bowl. Their lively conversations about the environment, law, politics, history, and other issues started 29 years ago, and continued every day until Scott passed away. When Jean relocated to Chicago, then London, and then Houston for work, Scott arranged to work remotely from all three locations so the two of them could live together. Scott and Jean were married in 2008 in Wheaton, Illinois, in the same courthouse where his mother and grandmother were both married. All three marriages were happy and lasted until death.

Scott's father, Clarence Joseph Lehecka, his mother, Miriam Gordon Lehecka (Giles), and his stepfather, Tom Giles, all predeceased him. Scott is survived by his second wife, Jean Martin; his former first wife, Frances Kowalski; two brothers - Tom and Mike Lehecka; a sister, Tracey (Giles) Flanagan, three nieces (Casey Lehecka Jackson; Katie and Nicole Flanagan); two nephews (Ryan and Daniel Lehecka); his step brothers and sister (Marc, Steven, and Clayton Giles; Ann Giles Parkes); their extended families; and two cats – all of whom miss him very much.

A celebration of life and memorial service for Scott was held in Pittsburgh on August 28, 2025. There will be a small private funeral for the immediate family on September 15, 2025, in Katy. If you would like to share a memory of Scott, please go to https://www.schmidtfuneralhome.net/obituaries/Scott-Alan-Lehecka?obId=44921031 , where you can share memories, prayers and condolences with his family and friends.

Instead of flowers, the family would be honored if you make a donation in Scott's name to a cause he supported. Scott loved our national parks, especially Yosemite. A donation to the Providing for Yosemite's Future - Yosemite Conservancy, the National Park Foundation, National Park Foundation | The Official Charitable Partner of the…, or a park that you love and want to share with others would be greatly appreciated.