Arthur Cort; millionaire, horse owner believed in giving back
Trucking executive Arthur Cort, a self-made multimillionaire, Weston philanthropist, and racehorse owner, often said he was "dragged up" on the streets of Chelsea where foster homes and pool halls marked his hard childhood.
"One of the things that we admire most about our father is that he never forgot where he came from," said his son Jack K. of Boston. "No matter who you were, he treated everyone with dignity, class, and respect."
Mr. Cort, a World War II lieutenant whose 93d Medical Battalion helped liberate the Dachau concentration camp, died of cancer Thursday at his home in Weston. He was 88.
Risking his life savings in 1965, Mr. Cort purchased Plymouth Rock Transportation and transformed the small trucking company into the largest family-owned carrier in Massachusetts and the second largest in New England. He sold Plymouth Rock in 2004.
Mr. Cort also believed in giving back. He created the Arthur H. Cort Family Foundation, which supports many local causes. Massachusetts General Hospital honored his contributions by naming a wing of the hospital's Yawkey Center after him.
He helped found Ben-Gurion University of the Negev in Israel and also helped start Handi-Kids, a Bridgewater organization offering free summer camp to handicapped children.
For decades, Mr. Cort spent his leisure time at the racetrack. Smoking a cigar, he would visit his horses in the barns at Suffolk Downs or Rockingham Park in New Hampshire.
"Arthur loved the action; there's no doubt about that," said racing steward John Burke, who trained Mr. Cort's first and most successful horse, Imonarainbow. "But he also loved his horses. He was truly a gentleman of the turf."
Imonarainbow was another gamble that paid off handsomely for Mr. Cort. He acquired the horse for $10,000 in a claims race, Burke said. Imonarainbow won the Governor's Handicap twice at Suffolk Downs and made $230,000 during his career.
Jockey Carl Gambardella, who rode Imonarainbow through a thick fog to win that first Governor's cup, said Mr. Cort was just as gracious when his horses disappointed.
"Other people might make you feel bad; never Arthur," said Gambardella, who rode at least 100 times for Mr. Cort. "He was a perfect gentleman. He'd say, 'That's racing.' "
Mr. Cort made his first fortune selling surplus tires after the war. He met his wife, Marie Chappelle, at the War Surplus Office and wrote her a note asking, "What does a guy like me got to do to take a gal like you out?" They were married for 58 years and had five children; she died in 2005.
Mr. Cort's own parents, Jack and Lillian Cort, divorced when he was a boy. His father, a plumber, sent him to live in friends' homes.
Mr. Cort had a remarkable work ethic, despite dropping out of school and spending most of his teenage years in Chelsea winning pool for 10 cents a game to survive, said his half-brother George of Palm Beach, Fla.
"When I was a kid, he would sit and memorize every word in the dictionary and the definitions," said George, who is 16 years younger.
The brothers became closer last year when Mr. Cort stayed for several months with his brother, who plays a regular gig at The Everglades Club. They argued over politics and piano-playing. Mr. Cort was too stubborn to learn anything from his baby brother, George said, but could play and sing a few Sinatra tunes.
Mr. Cort rarely had more than a single drink himself, but became legendary for his parties, relatives said. He once took more than 30 people to Monte Carlo to celebrate his birthday.
For another bash, he sent tape recorders to all his guests that played the theme to "Mission: Impossible" and instructed them to RSVP before the recorder self-destructed, his family said.
He hired experts to come to his home and teach his children everything from gourmet cooking to Transcendental Meditation. He brought a Boston Red Sox pitcher home to help his son Glenn with his curveball. "He always just tried to give us everything he never had," said Glenn of Weston. "He was a classic case of that."
In addition to his sons and brother, Mr. Cort leaves another brother, William of Boston; a daughter, Lorna Cort MacLeod of Weston; sons Ronald of Weston and Clifford of Lincoln; 10 grandchildren; and one great-granddaughter.
A memorial observance will be held at Mr. Cort's home in Weston from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday and Tuesday. The funeral service and burial are private. 