Grocer Jim Watson worked his way to the top

Jim Watson knew the supermarket industry inside and out, having worked his way from the bottom to the top.

"He knew every job that he supervised because he had done it all," said his son Peter Watson.

James A. (Jim) Watson died June 20 at Jones-Harrison Residence in Minneapolis. He was 91.

A Minneapolis native, he attended Kenwood School and West High School. He was a graduate of the University of Minnesota, where he received a degree in psychology and English. During World War II, he served as a captain in the U.S. Army Air Corps.

When he returned from the war, Watson took a job at Red Owl Stores, the Twin Cities' largest retail grocery chain during the 1950s and '60s. He started at the bottom and worked his way up, working as a butcher and eventually becoming the CEO.

Three years after Red Owl was purchased by Gamble Skogmo, a retail chain based in St. Louis Park, Watson became president of Gamble Skogmo.

After his time with Gamble and a short period working in Canada, Watson went on to become president and chairman of the board of the National Food Stores supermarket chain, based in Chicago.

She is the owner of Lucia's restaurant in Minneapolis and was counseled by her father when she started the business 25 years ago, she said.

"He really taught me about respecting your employees and respecting the work they do for you," she said. "He knew the food business, and [Lucia's] certainly isn't a grocery store by any means, but he had a good idea about quality and customer service."

Dedicated as Watson was to his career, serving in the war opened his eyes to how precious his time with his family was, said his nephew Leland Watson.

"It was basically the experiences of others and those that didn't come back [from the war] that impressed him more than what happened to himself. I think that's why he achieved what he did in his businesses and relationships," said Leland Watson.

Watson also was an avid skier. After he retired, he spent summers with the family at their cabin in northern Minnesota and most of the winter skiing, either at area locales like Trollhaugen in Wisconsin or in the mountains of Colorado. He was 90 years old when he hung up his skis for good, said Ann Watson, his wife of 66 years.

In addition to his wife, Ann, Watson is survived by his daughter, Lucia; two sons, Peter and James A. Watson III, and five granddaughters.

A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Wednesday at St. Paul's Episcopal Church, 1917 Logan Av. S., Minneapolis.