JACOB E. DAVIS

CINCINNATI -- Services were held here last week for Jacob E. Davis, former Kroger chairman, president and chief executive officer, who died the previous week at age 97. Davis had already been a county prosecutor, member of the Ohio state legislature, judge and U.S. congressman when he joined Kroger as a vice president in 1944. Following the 1964 retirement of Joe Hall, who is credited with transforming Kroger from a network of mom-and-pop stores to a supermarket powerhouse, Davis succeeded him as president and CEO and continued to expand the company. "Jake was one of a kind -- a Jeffersonian man," recalled Bob Aders, who succeeded Davis as chairman of Kroger in 1970. "His contributions to the city and charities were huge and continued until his final illness. I have never known anyone else who seemed to want to give all of his energy and talent to those things that he considered worthwhile." Davis' wife, Minnie, died in 2000. He is survived by a son, daughter, sister, two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.