Donald Sobey Dies At Age 86
STELLARTON — Donald Creighton Rae Sobey, the former head of the Sobeys business empire, has passed away at the age of 86.
Jim Dickson, chair of Empire Company Ltd., said today in a media release that Sobey’s impact on the business and his community was “profound.”
“He was a brilliant businessperson, and his legacy of value creation speaks for itself,” Dickson said. “But beyond his success in business, Donald was someone who cared deeply for his community, giving his time, energy, and resources to support so many important causes across the country. He will be deeply missed by all who knew him.”
Sobey joined his family’s growing grocery business shortly after graduating from Queen’s University, in 1957. He began in real estate financing with Sobeys before joining the board of Empire Company Ltd. in 1963, shortly after the company was established as an umbrella for the Sobeys diversifying businesses.
He served as both president and chair of Empire during his time with the company and retired in 2014, taking on the role of Chair Emeritus.
Outside of his work at Empire, Sobey was known for his commitment to supporting young students, as well as the arts. He served as chairman of the Sobey Art Foundation, as well as the Chair of the National Gallery of Canada.
He also established the D&R Sobey Atlantic Leadership Scholarships at Queen’s University and served as Chair of the Queen Elizabeth II Health Sciences Centre Foundation.
In 2014, Sobey was appointed a Member of the Order of Canada, “in recognition of his contributions as an entrepreneur and philanthropist.” Notably, he was recognized for founding the Sobey Art Award, which is Canada’s largest prize for young contemporary artists.
He also created several scholarships for Atlantic Canadian students attending Queen’s University, Dalhousie University, and the University of King’s College.
“Empire and Sobeys owe so much to the leadership, business acumen, and passion of Donald,” said Michael Medline, the president and CEO of Empire. “On behalf of all of our teammates across Canada, I want to extend our collective heartfelt condolences to his wife Beth and their children and grandchildren. Donald was a great businessperson as well as a visionary philanthropist who believed in nurturing Canadian artists and supporting the next generation of leaders. We will all miss him.”