Tribute to Cor Van Egmond

Cor Van Egmond is seen here at the 2nd Public Regional Airport Meeting November 18, 2010

by Mark Doland
Oskaloosa, Iowa

Cor Van Egmond of Oskaloosa passed away at the Serenity House recently. As a great man that I admire, it is my honor to pay tribute to an Oskaloosa legend.
As a young man during occupation of Holland by the Nazis, Cor Van Egmond was a culture warrior by obligation. Cor lived only a half mile from the Schiphol Airport where the Nazis bombed to take control in short order. Cor recalls this in the article that he wrote titled, “I Owe My Life To The American Veterans.”

Cor went on to fight with the Dutch Army in 1945 in New Guinea. When Japan capitulated, he was sent to the Dutch East Indies to fight communism there.
After all of his service, Cor immigrated legally to the United States. Cor was a resident of Oskaloosa for most of his adult life. Between his family and his business, Midwest Breeders, Cor made Oskaloosa his home. There are few people in Oskaloosa who didn’t know Cor.

I met Cor in 2008 after my election to the Mahaska County Republican County Convention. The first voice to greet me was that of the broken English Dutchman. He called me to congratulate me on my election and to ask for my dues. Cor was the treasurer at that time.

As the years went by and I got to know Cor. I was inspired by his drive to combat socialism and to fight for good government. He told me one time that socialism is just one step on the path to communism. He would know, he witnessed its rise in his home country. He told me the way that communism was instituted was through voting away one freedom at a time.

Cor was more active in convincing people to vote for the platform of the Republican Party than anyone else in Iowa, and possibly in the country. When candidates came to speak at the central committee, they met very sharp scrutiny over their views of government as they were contrasted with the platform that the grassroots draft in conventions. Cor was a champion of the platform. He always had copies of the platform with him to hand out to candidates when they stopped in. As a matter of fact, he was such a dependable customer of those who make copies, a few close friends are worried that the copy shops in town are in risk of closing without his business.

There was a time when a particular candidate was campaigning in Oskaloosa and Cor stood up in the meeting and declared, “this is Vander Plaats country!” Cor was convinced that he would expose republicrats and promote real statesmen.

One time in 2008, the Mahaska County Republican Headquarters, being located where it is now, had an Asian Buffet next door. As a man was going to enter the restaurant, Cor snagged his attention and invited him in to talk. They spoke of issues important to our state. The man left with a bunch of campaign signs and literature. Cor used to say, “take one for you, and another for a friend of you.”

In the departure of a true patriot, there is a huge hole in our hearts. We will definitely miss the distinguished Dutchman. At his bedside, someone mentioned the name of a particular current occupant of the White House. Cor, even on his deathbed, was giving political pointers. He said, “don’t give him name recognition.” This is a phrase Cor is famous for. He continued, “call him the guy who came to America on a student visa.”

Cor was an avid campaigner. His friends and comrades will miss him. So for now, Cor, we will do our best to follow your legacy. We will continue to fight for good government and not let your work fade away.