We are saddened to inform you of the passing of Arthur Wolcott ’49. The Wolcott family’s ties to Sigma Nu extend back nearly 100 years, as Arthur’s older brothers Jerome ’29 and Sam ’36 were also Sigma Nus (Sam was the one who built the walk-in cooler in the kitchen). Son Mark ’83 is a Sigma Nu, as is Mark’s son, Michael ’15. Daughter Grace ’87 was a Sigma Nu Little Sister and is married to Sigma Nu Aaron Wadell ’83.
Arthur was born in Corning, NY, in 1926 and passed away peacefully on September 24, 2021, in Sarasota, FL, at the age of 95. He graduated from Cornell in 1949 with a BA degree in economics and was a veteran of World War II, having served in both the European and Pacific theaters.
Arthur married the love of his life and best friend, Audrey Strode, in August of 1949. During that same month, Arthur founded Seneca Foods Corporation by leasing a bankrupt grape juice plant in Dundee, NY. Today, Seneca is headquartered in Janesville, WI. The company is one of the largest processors of fruits and vegetables in the United States. Arthur was chairman and president of Seneca Foods from 1949 to 1987, and he served as chairman of the Board of Directors until his passing. In 2008, he received the Forty-Niner Service Award, the food processing industry’s highest award in recognition of his career.
Arthur was a true champion of all things Sigma Nu, Cornell, and the Big Red. He was a Presidential Councilor of Cornell University and a member of the Cornell Athletics Hall of Fame. For many years, Arthur, Audrey, and the Wolcott family hosted a Homecoming football tailgate party attended by many Sigma Nus.
“My Dad loved Cornell and Sigma Nu, and he would often talk about his days living in the house, taking my mom to parties at the house, and he stayed in touch with most of his classmates over the years,” said Mark. “He also loved Cornell Athletics and was a regular at football games ever since he graduated. He and my mom were there in 1951 when Cornell beat Michigan at Schoellkopf Field!”
Arthur was also an avid skier and sailor. On the slopes he was a member of the Hunt Hollow Ski Club and enjoyed many ski trips to the Rocky Mountains and the European Alps. He was also a member of the Keuka Yacht Club and the Sarasota Yacht Club, competing in regattas and cruising to Europe, the Florida Keys, and throughout the Caribbean. In addition to Audrey, his wife of 72 years, Arthur is survived by four children, including Mark and Grace, and 12 grandchildren, including Michael.
The brotherhood of Sigma Nu extends our condolences to Mark, Michael, Grace, and the entire Wolcott family. Arthur will certainly be missed and remembered for so much.
Remembering Art
My wife Madolyn and I first met the Wolcotts at a party at the Lodge after a Cornell football game during Trustee-Council weekend, sometime in the 1970s. After that, we saw each other at Cornell and in Sarasota, FL, where we both had homes.
We went on a Cornell University trip to Cuba with the Wolcotts. During some down time, Art hired a taxi to take him to a grocery store so he could see if Seneca products were being sold. He bought a can of Libby’s peaches, which cost about three times as much a can would cost in the U.S. When he returned to our hotel, he cut the label off as he wanted to trace the shipping route it had taken to get to Cuba and gave the peaches to the taxi driver.
Over many dinners, Art loved to talk about how Seneca produced and canned their product, especially corn. I learned about developing new seed, planting, harvesting, can manufacturing, canning, and shipping. I think I am qualified to be a Seneca employee!
Glenn Dallas ’58
mgdallas@hotmail.com