Jack J. Crocker

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Crocker, Jack J. of Portland, Oregon, passed away on Saturday, Oct. 18, 2014. Jack was born in Portland July 8, 1924, to John and Jeanette Crocker. Jack grew up in the Abernathy neighborhood of NE Portland, along with his sister, June (Crocker Corbett, deceased). He attended Boise elementary school and Jefferson high school. He was a very active member of the Jefferson high school class of 1942 alumni association. Jack was a navigator and 2nd lieutenant in the Army Air Corps during World War Two. On June 15, 1946, Jack married Patricia Marie Irwin; they had been married 68 years at the time of Jack's death. Jack graduated from the University of Oregon with a degree in accounting. He went on to establish a 40-year career in the food and merchandise field, first as president of Fred Meyer, Inc. of Portland, Oregon, and later Chairman of the Board and Chief Executive Officer of Supervalu, Inc. based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Jack was a major force in the 1976 merger of the Super Market Institute and National Assoc. of Food Chains into the Food Marketing Institute; he was elected its first Chairman. In 2003, twenty years after retirement, Jack was pleased to be named one of the 50 food industry leaders in retailing and wholesaling by Supermarket News. During his time in Minneapolis, Jack founded and was President of the Minnesota Kicks, a professional soccer team in the North American soccer league (NASL). The Kicks were the first team in the NASL to win 4 straight division titles (1976-79). They were a huge success with Minnesota fans and set a record for highest attendance with the NASL. In his later years, prior to returning to Portland, Jack lived in the Coachella valley where he enjoyed the warm weather, growing dates and citrus crops. Jack is survived by wife, Patricia; sons, Bruce (Christine), John (Wendy), and Paul (Kathy); daughter, Susan; grandchildren Amanda Crocker Coyle, Paul, Thomas, Natalie, and Patrick, and extended family of Heather Wilberger and Emily Christopher. In his final hours, Jack received the wonderful news that a great-grandchild was on the way. Jack died very peacefully, surrounded and serenaded by loved ones. Services will be held on Sunday, November 9, 2014 at 1pm in the chapel at Mary's Woods retirement center in Lake Oswego, Oregon. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to Colin's Recovery Fund, in support of Jack's stepson, mailing address Kathy Crocker C/O Collins Fund, 13860 SW Secretariat Ln., Beaverton, OR 97008 or Mary's Woods' Resident Fund at donatenow.networkforgood.org/….

Published on October 26, 2014