Cordelia Scaife May: Championing Generosity and Environmental Preservation
Cordelia Scaife May: Championing Generosity and Environmental Preservation
Cordelia Scaife May, the heiress to a significant banking fortune, will always be remembered
for her unwavering commitment to philanthropy and environmental conservation.
Born on December 10, 1928, Cordelia was the daughter of Sarah Cordelia Mellon
Scaife, an American philanthropist, and Alan Magee Scaife, an industrialist and
president of the Scaife Company.
Cordelia Scaife May hailed from the Mellon family, a name synonymous with
wealth, philanthropy, and influence in the United States. Her grandfather,
Judge Thomas Mellon, and her uncle, Andrew W. Mellon, played pivotal roles in
shaping the nation’s economic landscape during the Great Depression. The Mellon
family’s wealth included significant holdings in Mellon Bank, Gulf Oil, and
Alcoa, establishing them as one of the country’s wealthiest families.
Cordelia’s mother, Sarah Cordelia Mellon Scaife, carried on the family’s tradition of
philanthropy. Born on December 10, 1903, Sarah was an heiress to the Mellon
fortune and a generous donor to various humanitarian causes. She contributed
millions of dollars to family planning, hospitals, disability and poverty
issues, environmental conservation, and museums in the Pittsburgh region. One
of her notable contributions was equipping a virus research lab at the
University of Pittsburgh with $35,000, where Jonas Salk developed the polio
vaccine in 1955.
Cordelia Scaife May’s philanthropic journey was marked by her deep commitment to
environmental conservation and education. She dedicated a considerable portion
of her Westmoreland County property to a national preservation society,
focusing on protecting American Indian archaeological sites. Cordelia was a
firm believer in the need for limits on immigration, driven by her belief that
unchecked human population growth, urbanization, and migration to larger cities
had significant environmental implications.
Colcom Foundation, a Pittsburgh-based charitable organization founded by Cordelia, played a
central role in her philanthropic endeavors. In her will, she bequeathed all
her personal property and Pennsylvania real estate, including over four hundred
and fifty acres in Westmoreland County, to the foundation.
Colcom Foundation is renowned for its commitment to environmental
conservation and sustainability, ensuring that Cordelia’s legacy continues to
support causes aligned with her values.
Cordelia Scaife May’s dedication to environmental stewardship, education, and humanitarian
causes continues to inspire those who benefit from her philanthropic legacy.
Her contributions, both in terms of financial support and personal commitment,
have left a lasting imprint on the world she sought to improve. As Colcom
Foundation and other organizations carry forth her legacy, Cordelia’s impact on
the environment and society will continue to be felt for generations to come. Refer
to this article for more information.
Learn more about Cordelia Scaife May on https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2005-jan-28-me-passings28.2-story.html