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By Communications Staff

George Taylor Richardson, whose family has long been associated with Queen’s University, has died at the age of 89.

“I am very saddened to hear about George Richardson’s passing,” says Principal Daniel Woolf. “Today the Canadian business world has lost a great leader and Queen’s has lost a good friend. The Richardson name has been an important one at Queen’s for generations. We are grateful to George for building on his family’s legacy with his extraordinary commitment to philanthropy.”

George Taylor Richardson

George Richardson was president of James Richardson and Sons, Ltd., from 1966 until 1993. He then served as chairman of the company from 1993 until 2000. George Richardson’s great-grandfather, James Richardson, founded the one-man grain merchandising operation in Kingston in 1857. During his time as president, George Richardson helped continue the company’s evolution into an international, multi-enterprise corporation.

“My condolences to the Richardson family, a family always generous with their time, wise counsel and leadership to advance the interests of Queen’s. The Richardson family has supported many initiatives across Queen’s that have benefited faculty and students,” says Tom Harris, Vice-Principal (Advancement).

The Richardson family has made a profound contribution to Queen’s for more than a hundred years. George Taylor Richardson Memorial Stadium stands as a tribute to George Richardson’s uncle who was killed in the First World War. The original stadium was built in 1920 through a gift of $50,000 from George Richardson’s father, alumnus and former chancellor James Armstrong Richardson. The Richardson Foundation, the giving arm of James Richardson & Sons, Limited and Affiliated Companies, recently pledged $5 million toward the revitalization of the stadium.

The family’s dedication to Queen’s is far-reaching and enriches many aspects of campus life. George Richardson’s sister, Agnes Benidickson, was Queen’s chancellor from 1980 to 1996. The Agnes Benidickson Tricolour Award is the highest tribute that can be paid to a student for distinguished service to the university in non-athletic, extracurricular activities. George Richardson’s aunt, Agnes Richardson Etherington, is one of the most influential figures in Queen’s cultural history. She spearheaded the university’s fine art program in the 1930s and gifted her house to Queen’s that now serves as part of the Agnes Etherington Art Centre. Several funds bearing the Richardson name support learning opportunities on campus.