By Karen Andrew
The Cincinnati Enquirer

Cary

ANDERSON TWP. _ John J. "Jack" Cary, a retired Kroger Co. executive and a tireless volunteer who walked in marathons to help fund research for leukemia, died Wednesday of cancer at Mercy Hospital Anderson.

The Anderson Township resident was 75.

Mr. Cary was born in 1927 in Chicago. He served with the Army 8130 Service Detachment for about a year in the Philippines and was honorably discharged in 1946.

In 1950, he began working as a maintenance engineer at the Kroger Co. in Chicago. In 1952, he married Lorraine Zelazek of Chicago.

After attending night school, Mr. Cary graduated from Purdue University in 1965 with a bachelor's degree in engineering.

His son, Jim Cary of Anderson Township, said his father was well-respected during his 36 years at the Kroger Co.

"He was best known for the original `superstore' designs, which are common today," his son said. The first "superstore" was built in 1970 in Reynoldsburg, Ohio, a suburb of Columbus.

In 1974, Mr. Cary became director of engineering in the Kroger corporate offices in Cincinnati. He retired in October 1986.

After his retirement, Mr. Cary was active in a number of community organizations. To help him cope with the death of his wife of 42 years in 1994, he took up walking at the urging of his son, Jim.

This led to his training for four marathons and walking in two marathons. Through the Southern Ohio Chapter of the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Team In Training (TNT), he collected sponsors for his marathons to raise funds for research and medical services.

In 1997, he walked in his first marathon - the Chicago Marathon - and helped area residents raise $180,698 for leukemia. Jim Cary said his father was particularly proud of this because it was his hometown and he trained for and completed the marathon with his son.

Mr. Cary also walkedin and completed a marathon in Dublin, Ireland, in 1999, helping to raise funds for TNT.

He was a volunteer for about 10 years at Mercy Hospital Anderson and helped with the Mercy Foundation's fund-raising.

In 1994, he began a widow support group at Immaculate Heart of Mary Church in Anderson Township and organized dinners, lunches, trips to Reds games, plays and other events.

"My dad was a great inspiration due to his will," his son said. "Many men would have given up many years ago. He was well-loved in the community and a fabulous grandfather."

Survivors include two other sons, Jack and Paul, both of Anderson Township; a daughter, Sue Beyer of Las Vegas; a brother, Bill of Chicago; four sisters, Pat Kearney of Crown Pointe, Ind., and Rita Page, Joan Turner and Rose O'Connor, all of Chicago; his partner, Kathy Sachs of Anderson Township, and three grandchildren.

Visitation is 5-8 p.m. today at Witt, Good and Kelsch Funeral Home, 7312 Beechmont Ave., Anderson Township. A Mass of Christian burial will be at 10 a.m. Monday at St. Gregory Chapel, Mount St. Mary Seminary at the Athenaeum of Ohio, 6616 Beechmont Ave., Mount Washington.

Memorials: Leukemia Society Team in Training, c/o Karen Cosgrove, 2970 Shoemaker Road, Lebanon, OH 45036, or Immaculate Heart of Mary Church, c/o Father Jan, 7820 Beechmont Ave., Cincinnati 45255.

E-mail kandrew@enquirer.com.