Lethbridge College is saddened to hear of the passing of Cor Van Raay. Cor was a business leader, a philanthropist, an advocate for education, a leader in agricultural innovation and most of all, a friend to countless people and organizations, and a beloved partner to Julie.
Cor was an incredible leader in agriculture, where he grew a small herd of 50 cattle into a wide range of agricultural endeavours that included Canada’s largest independently owned and operated feedlot, and many other enterprises. His career in agriculture enabled him to follow his passion by providing opportunities to those in his community.
Lethbridge College was fortunate to have a true friend, ally and supporter in Cor, who himself was a life-long learner, as he completed several courses at Lethbridge College, ranging from welding to accounting. His love of education combined with his generosity led to many different gifts to Lethbridge College over many years. The most significant was a $5 million gift to Lethbridge College and the University of Lethbridge, which enabled both institutions to create industry-leading agriculture-based programs, applied research activities and, as was so important to Cor, created opportunities for students to succeed through student awards and innovative extra-curricular programming that created a new generation of agricultural entrepreneurs.
With this gift and a lifetime of work, Cor improved the lives, futures and potential of students and society. Countless other organizations throughout southern Alberta have similar stories related to his generosity. Cor’s generosity has made life better for so many in southern Alberta.
On behalf of myself, our Board of Governors, our Executive Leadership Team, and all of our employees and students, we send our heartfelt condolences to Julie, the rest of Cor’s family and his many, many friends. He will be missed immensely.
Dr. Paula Burns
Lethbridge College President and CEO