C. Coe Swobe

1929 - 2016

C. Coe Swobe

May 23, 1929

May 26, 2016

Coe Swobe died on May 26, 2016, three days after his 87th birthday, surrounded by his family. Born in Reno, Nevada in 1929 to Maxine Poloni and John Swobe, his father died when he was 7 years old, so Maxine raised Coe and his brother, Jack, as a single mother with the help of their extended family on Wells Avenue.

A child of the Depression and World War II, Coe learned lessons that would carry him through his life: hard work, gratitude, the value of education, and respect for others, no matter their station in life. A student of Nevada schools: Southside Elementary, Billinghurst Junior High and Reno High Schools, Coe and his brother were the first in their family to graduate college from the University of Nevada, Reno. They both graduated from law school: Coe, University of Denver and Jack, McGeorge. The GI Bill, awarded after service in the Korean War, assisted the brothers with their educations, changing the trajectory of their lives.

Coe was an active member of the Sigma Nu Fraternity in college and as an alumna. In college he also became interested in politics, later working for Republican Governor Charles Russell. He married Janet Quilici in 1959 and after the birth of their daughters, Caryn Swobe and Jackie Swobe Borsum, he ran and won his first of two terms in the Nevada Assembly. He then served two terms in the Nevada State Senate, holding the post of Republican minority leader in both houses.

His signature legislative achievement was the creation of the Lake Tahoe Compact, bi-state legislation to preserve Lake Tahoe, in the 1960s when aggressive construction development was threatening the Lake's clarity. He was assigned the task by then Governor Paul Laxalt, who said at the time, "Lake Tahoe will not go gray on my watch." The Nevada bill was know as "The Swobe Bill," and passed easily. After negotiations with Former California Governor Ronald Reagan and the California Legislature, the legislation was signed by the two governors and President Richard Nixon in 1969, creating the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA).

Swobe continued to introduce and pass legislation to save the Lake and the Tahoe Basin, establishing a park system that included Sand Harbor.

Appointed to the TRPA Governance Board many years later, Coe spent countless hours raising awareness of the risk to the area from catastrophic fires, fueled by natural debris such as dead trees and brush. Through his efforts, federal funding was procured and significant steps have been made and continue to improve the health of the Tahoe Basin's forests.

During his time in the legislature, Coe fought for Vietnam Veterans to receive the same courtesies as other veterans. Because the Vietnam War was unpopular, veterans were discriminated against throughout society, and most unfortunately at the University of Nevada. Coe worked with the university's administration to welcome these servicemen and women, encouraging them to attend college and receive benefits. He also was responsible for legislation that removed sales tax from prescription drugs.

An alcoholic for 30 years, Coe stopped drinking through a family intervention led by Janet, former Nevada First Lady Jackie Laxalt and former Washoe County Commissioner Ted Short. Without relapse, Coe was sober for the remaining 32 years of his life, turning his misfortune into a means of helping others. The co-founder of the Nevada State Bar Association's Lawyers Concerned for Lawyers, Coe became the program coordinator, to help lawyers and judges confront addiction. Whether a person was living on the street or a successful professional, Coe treated everyone with dignity and provided support. His phone rang several times a day, connecting him to either people facing the struggle of drug and alcohol dependency or their colleagues and loved ones desperately seeking advice and hope. He hired many, who were down on their luck, to work with him in his garden and Truckee cabin on the weekends.

Coe also served on the State Bar Board of Governors and in many community positions such as president of the University of Nevada Alumni Association. Around lunchtime, most days, he could be found at Reno's Prospector's Club, where he was a member for many years, serving as secretary.

Coe is survived by: his wife, Janet; daughters, Caryn and Jackie; son-in-law Tom Borsum; his three grandchildren: Scott and Janelle Borsum and Clara Swobe; sisters, Toni and Carmen Poloni. He was preceded in death by his mother, Maxine; father, John; stepfather, Tony Poloni; and brother, Jack; father and mother-in-law Hugo and Gertrude Quilici. Coe requested that there be no services and in lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Salvation Army Adult Rehabilitation Center, 1931 Sutro St. Reno, NV, 89512.