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The Board of Directors and Staff of Westchester Land Trust mourn the passing of our dear friend and leader Worthington (Bill) Mayo-Smith, a long-time Director of Westchester Land Trust, who died peacefully at home in Rye NY on June 5, 2020, at the age of 95. A 63-year resident of Bedford NY, Bill served two separate terms on WLT’s Board, first with founding Chair Louis McCagg, and then again with Chair Sam Pryor. Bill was a quintessential strategist and philanthropist, who selflessly devoted his time and energy to his charitable passions, including land conservation. Bill served in the formative years of the organization helping to drive WLT’s strategic direction, and later assumed a leadership role on WLT’s Capital Campaign Committee, ultimately raising several million dollars to fund land conservation priority projects in Westchester and Putnam counties. Bill’s leadership in the conservation world was both inspirational and impactful, and his legacy can be seen in the many beautiful and environmentally critical landscapes he helped protect in perpetuity. Bill was predeceased by his wife Margaret Collette Mayo-Smith and is survived by one daughter, Sabina Mayo-Smith, two sons William W. Mayo-Smith and John F. Mayo-Smith; and seven grandchildren. Funeral services will be private. Read the full obituary here.

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About Westchester Land Trust

Westchester Land Trust works with public and private partners to preserve land in perpetuity and to enhance the natural resources in Westchester and eastern Putnam counties—a densely populated region under persistent threat from the pressures of development. Founded in 1988, WLT has preserved 9,250 acres of open space. More than 1,112 acres of land are owned by the organization which are free and open to the public year-round. WLT was one of the first land trusts in the nation to receive accreditation through the Land Trust Accreditation Commission.