Cor Van Raay, a pillar of the southern Alberta community, died July 29 in Lethbridge. He was 85.
His daughter Colleen Mackey said her father was a mentor for those entering the agriculture sector, helping nurture a passion for farming and ranching, as well as teaching skills needed to stay in the business.
“He was always, always willing to teach people and talk to anyone about farming and the business of farming. He was more than happy to answer any question anyone had,” she said.
Mackey said that legacy was made clear to her following last week’s funeral service when many of those who worked for her father or crossed paths with him told her, “he really inspired them to go on and start farming themselves.
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“They used him as an example of someone that they wanted to emulate.”
Van Raay is considered a key player in development of southern Alberta’s cattle feedlot industry. Starting small, he built his own operation over the years to handle 100,000 head.
The business continues to operate as Van Raay Paskal Farms.
Van Raay contributed time and financial support to the Lethbridge College, University of Lethbridge and the local YMCA.
“He truly was appreciative of everything (the) southern Alberta community did for him and how much it created his success,” said Mackey.
She said Van Raay was fulfilled by being able to give back to the community that gave him so much.
“That’s something our family has always admired in him,” said Mackey.
Henry Doeve said the way Van Raay conducted himself in business was second to none.
“But I knew him more as this cyclist guy, community champion,” said Doeve, highlighting Van Raay’s cross-country bicycling trip at 70, completing the task in a little more than 70 days. “There wasn’t a bigger champion than Cor when it came to fitness of self, fitness of community.”
Van Raay’s support of the YMCA was part of helping attain that goal along with donating to establish the LINK Pathway, a 15-kilometre bicycle and pedestrian path connecting Coaldale with Lethbridge.
Doeve said Van Raay’s list of involvement in projects was exhaustive whether it was helping local food banks, developing nature trails or helping finance the swimming pool in Picture Butte.
“It wasn’t just one person or two people, it was the whole town of Picture Butte that benefited. It was the whole of Lethbridge that benefited from his donation to YMCA. It was the whole community around the food bank that benefited,” said Doeve. “He championed community spirit and he loved the community he was in.”
Originally from Holland, Van Raay moved to southern Alberta in the 1960s establishing a sugar beet farm and then moved on to other launching other crops, a ranch and feedlot among other ventures.
In 2012, Van Raay received the Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal. That was followed by an honorary degree from the University of Lethbridge in 2015 for his innovation within the agricultural sector and philanthropy.
Those wishing to pay tribute to Van Raay are asked to contribute to a charity of their choice or the St. Micheal’s Health Centre.
