St. Thomas More College community mourns recent passing of noted philanthropist

Well done, good and faithful servant. You have been faithful over a little; I will set you over much. Enter into the joy of your master. MATTHEW 25:21

The St. Thomas More College (STM) community mourns the recent passing of Leslie (Les) Dubé, and in offering condolences, reflects on the impact of his friendship and generosity.

“We offer our heartfelt condolences to Irene and family as we remember Les Dubé and honour his profound legacy in the community and at STM. Through his devoted service and visionary generosity, Les enriched the life of the College and elevated the learning experience of countless students over the past twenty years,” said STM President Dr. Carl Still (PhD).

Together with his wife Irene, Les Dubé will be remembered and celebrated for his transformative philanthropy. His long friendship with the College included service on the STM Board of Governors and Corporation as well as a leading role in STM’s For All Seasons campaign in the early 1990s. The Dubés generously inaugurated the Leslie and Irene Dubé Service-Learning Program in 2005 and the Leslie and Irene Dubé Chair for Catholic Studies in 2012. In 1994, Mr. Dubé was a recipient of the St. Thomas More Medal, the College’s highest recognition.

The Dubés’ passion for STM was grounded in their faith and expressed in an ongoing, committed friendship. Les was a visionary servant leader, whose generosity enabled STM to carry out its vision and mission. The establishment of the Leslie and Irene Dubé Service-Learning Program includes annual scholarships for students, ensuring opportunities to engage in valuable community-service learning – benefitting both students and community partners through this relationship.

The Leslie and Irene Dubé Chair for Catholic Studies supports scholarship and research related to Catholic teaching, fosters Catholic education, and promotes ecumenical dialogue and awareness of other faith traditions, most notably through an annual lecture series. At the time of this investment the Dubés expressed their motivation as follows, “We are strong believers in the importance of a College that encourages students to explore both faith and reason, and the Chair in Catholic Studies at St. Thomas More College will be a vital contributor to this environment.”

In a 2005 interview during the launch of the Leslie and Irene Dubé Service-Learning Program, Les made his philanthropic philosophy clear, “We come into this world with nothing, and we leave this world with nothing. In the end, money doesn’t mean anything unless it’s been used to make a difference in the world.”

Les Dubé has most certainly made a difference. And his legacy will continue to live on through the support structures he generously made possible, impacting so many.

Please watch for upcoming details from STM Campus Ministry of a memorial mass to be held at St. Thomas More College chapel for Leslie Dubé.