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Earl Redner Obituary
Earl Redner, founder of Redner's
Markets, passed away peacefully
Wednesday, April 5, 2017, in Lancaster County.
He was 91 years old.
Born in Bridgewater, Va., on September 19, 1925, to the late William and Gladys Redner.
Earl began his career in the food industry in 1940 as a furnace stoker and potato bagger with the Grand Union
Tea Company. He spent the next 29 years working for Grand Union in various positions including assistant store
manager, district sales manager, division grocery sales manager and superintendent of stores in Washington, D.C.
He was the youngest Grand Union employee to hold the title of manager, district manager and store superintendent with Grand Union until his departure in 1970.
During 20 years of leadership with Redner's, he set a standard for customer service and placed an emphasis on advanced technologies as an independently owned,
industry leader in groceries.
Earl, known to be an early innovator with employee owned stock option companies and a risk taker in food
retailing, founded the Redner's Markets in Leesport, Pa.,
in 1970 with his late wife, Mary.
Under his leadership, Redner's successfully changed the grocery marketplace by successfully transitioning a
traditional grocery operation to that of a warehouse
market sales and purchasing format, which was years ahead of its time. Today, Redner's has over 53 grocery and convenience stores located throughout Eastern
Pennsylvania, Maryland and Delaware. Redner's has
annually ranked in the top five (total sales)
of independently owned (small chain) grocers in the
United States.
He served as chairman of PFMA, and on the board of the National Grocers Association. Earl, along with his late wife Mary, was honored in 1998 with the Heart of the Industry Award by the Grocery Manufacturer's of Central Pa. and in 2011, recognized as Person of the Year by Association of Manufacturer Representatives and the Mid-Atlantic Foods Trades Organization.
A humble leader, Earl will long be remembered for his notebook that he carried with him throughout each workday. Admired by all at Redner's, Earl was affectionately known as "The Chief." His presence will be greatly missed in the family business.
Earl was also active as a community booster and
philanthropist. He had been a longtime member of the Shillington Rotary Club. He was an active member in the Church of the Brethren of Wyomissing, Pa., where he served as a deacon.
Earl had a zest for life. For years he was a private pilot, at times delivering produce to Redner's stores through the air. He loved to travel, especially to visit the Holy Land and China; hunting was a longtime pastime, and he exercised throughout his life. In recent years he enjoyed bowling, last participating two weeks ago.
He is survived by his wife, Karen of Lancaster; son,
Richard, husband to Elaine, of Sinking Spring; daughter, Chere Kelley, of Charleston, S.C.; six grandchildren: Ryan Redner, Stacy Hopp, Gary M. Redner, Casey Redner, Nicole Hoyt and Alexis Foreman; 14 great-grandchildren; and
sister, Ruth Weyant.
He was predeceased by his wife of 57 years, Mary G. Redner; son, Gary W. Redner; brothers: Raymond, Frank, Charles; and sister, June.
"My father was a role model for not only myself and our family but also the food industry. He lived a long, successful life and made a tremendous difference in the community," said Richard Redner. "I'm thankful he was able to see his dream and company become more successful than he ever imagined. His spirit and enthusiasm remained high and he continued to attend board meetings, visit stores and would enjoy speaking with our employee-owners often."
A viewing will be held Monday, April 10, 2017, at Edward J. Kuhn Funeral Home, Inc., West Reading, from 4 to 8 p.m. and on Tuesday, April 11, 2017, at Wyomissing Church of the Brethren, 2200 State Hill Road, Wyomissing, PA 19610, from 9 to 11 a.m. Services will begin at 11 a.m., with burial to follow in Leesport Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made
to Wyomissing Church of the Brethren at the above
address.
Online condolences may be recorded at www.kuhnfuneralhomes.com.
To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.
Memories and Condolences
for Earl Redner
Barry Heckman
March 31, 2024
I think of the Chief often as I review meaningful people moments in my career. He and his family were quite instrumental in helping me have a successful life in the food business. I especially remember his sense of humor, he was quite a character! Forever loved!
First Name
April 16, 2017
Earl was at the top of his business at all times. was very innovative and always open to new ideas.I go back to his Grand Union days in fact I introduced him to the IGA wholesaler which was the beginning of REDNERS.
Earl will be missed by many. My condolence to his family and friends.
Doug Custer
Venice Fl.
Beverly Simmons Miller
April 9, 2017
I remember Earl Redner from Redner reunions held in Virginia. My Mother was Helen Redner Simmons, the oldest of Clarence and Maude Redner of Centerville, VA. I took my Mom to many of the reunions and always enjoyed Earl and Ray and their families. My husband and I have been shopping in PA and saw the Redner Markets; took pictures of it to show my Mom; and even shopped in the store. Many memories.
Vern Hill
April 9, 2017
I want to offer my sincerest thoughts, prayers, and well wishes to the Redner family and all the Redner family employees.
I am honored and blessed to have known the "Chief". I believe a good heart and a good soul has ascended to the heavens.
He loved flying and I often found myself in the co-pilots seat. During
a VFR flight to Denver, he turned the yoke over to me. Excited to fly the craft, I centered my full attention to scanning the altimeter, the gyro, the compass and watching for traffic. I had been flying for an hour or so when my concentration was broken with the sound of snoring. We immediately dropped 200 feet in altitude which was abrupt enough to startle the Chief back to conciseness. He calmly asked if everything was OK, whereby I said no problem we had just encountered some thermals. I Didn't want him to know that he had just scared the bejesus out of me.
Happy flying Chief.......I'm going to miss regaling those old stories with you. I can still remember you telling me.....you know you've landed with the wheels up when it takes full power to taxi.
Warmest Condolances
April 7, 2017
Dear Chere,DIck
So sorry to hear of uncle Earls passing. My Dad passed away 10 years ago today.I hope all our family was there to greet him..I have thought the past few days about all our good times growing up,about him flying me to your house,our camping trip,and your Moms red velvet cake! losing another family member is so hard..thinking of you
Deb Redner
Barry Heckman
April 7, 2017
There are few men leaving behind a mark on this planet through their lives as this man did! He was more than a businessman. He was a loving caring person with great humility.His family reflects his great moral character. We are all better off through knowing him. May his time in eternity be blessed! God bless Earl Redner's family!
Karen Heckman
April 6, 2017
Redner's Family,
My deepest sympathy on the passing of the Redner patriarch. He was the epitome of a gentleman. He will live on in your hearts and beloved memories.
April 6, 2017
RIP Mr.Redner thanks for taking a chance on a 22 year old kid for your produce dept at store #45. Almost 35 years later I am very proud to have known you and worked for you. You will be missed and my condolences to the entire Redner family.
Stan Noll
April 6, 2017
My deepest sympathy is extended to the Redner family at the passing of Mr. Redner. He provided work and dignity, to thousands of families through Redner's C-Stores and Warehouse Markets. May he rest in peace.
Joan (Darlene) Patterson
April 6, 2017
My heart and prayers are with you and your family. I work for one of your stores (Dover De #13) going on 9 yrs hands down the best job I ever had/have i absolute love my job and this family great people so hearing this news has touched my heart may you rest in peace Mr. Redner
Anthony Cavalieri
April 6, 2017
All I know is that I am a better person for having known Earl Redner. Although he was my friend for a short 14 years, the man only knew positvity and made all who met him feel good about life in general. He always told me that if you woke up that day, it was a good day. We will miss you boss and we already look at your bench and think of you. Your friends at #88
April 6, 2017
Sending my sincere condolences on the passing of Mr. Redner. I was an employee at Store #77 for 10 years and it was always a pleasure to see him. My thoughts and prayers go out to the family.
Tammy Tobias Yoch (Palm Harbor, FL)
diane suba
April 6, 2017
To the Redner Family's.So sorry for your loss.
Dan and Kathy Ulrich
April 6, 2017
We've only had the pleasure of knowing Earl for 5 yrs. Through joining the church, but in those few years SURLY learned what a wonderful and caring man he was will miss him dearly and seeing his smiling face each and every week at church Dan will miss shaking your hand each week and socializing with you one day he will shake your hand again and reunite until then R.I.P. you earned your angel wings. Hugs, love and deepest sympathies to Karen and family keep all the good memories tucked close to your hearts and know you all have a guardian angel watching over all of you. God Bless
Terry Hassler
April 6, 2017
We our sadden to hear of the passing of Mr. Redner. He hired me in 1970, 2 days after I got out of the Army and 4 month after he bought the first store. At that time he was living in the back of the Leesport store, waiting till Mary relocated here. After talking to him I knew I wanted to work for this man, and I did for 35 years till I retired.What ever store I was working at, he would always come and say hi to me. We will always have fond memories of Earl from over the many years knowing and working with him.
Terry & Minnie Hassler
Robert I. Rudolph, M.D.
April 6, 2017
A funny, and very fine, gentleman. My condolences to the family.
Burt Prentice Flickinger III
April 6, 2017
Earl Redner spirit, leadership, and proverbial "Golden Rule" principles (Do Onto Others as One Would Have Done Onto Oneself {himself or herself}) will live eternally on earth.
Earl epitomized personal and professional ethics combined with an extraordinary work ethic and caring for everyone. After starting out at minimum wage in the warehouse at Grand Union (Top 5 U.S. supermarket chain) and through his talent and great results, he was promoted numerous times to lead Grand Union in some of their most important major markets when Grand Union was one of the "4 Towers of Power in Eastern (N/East & S/East) food retailing": A&P, Winn Dixie, Food Fair, and Winn Dixie.
Earl Redner and his family are worldwide leaders in creating Employee Owned Companies (ESOT: Employee Stock Ownership Trusts {also known as ESOPS: Employee Stock Ownership Plans}.
Earl Redner and family were and are the extremely important pioneers for having thousands of hourly team members and leader associates in the stores, warehousing & transportation & the office, et al., become company owners where they worked.
The Redner employee ownership plan model would be followed by WinCo (the fastest growing U.S. food retailer in the West), Publix (#1 in the S/East) and the employee profit sharing plan Sam and Helen Robson Walton created at Walmart. {As Board chair, Sam Walton's son, S. Rob and the Board vacated the profit sharing plan "Mr. Sam & Miss Helen" had started, which had raised the standard of living & provided education for so many families.
Earl Redner and his family always remain true to their strong team members and Redner's Markets, as well the community, worthy civic and spiritual causes,local suppliers, and everyone with whom they work.
Earl Redner and his family pioneered the warehouse food format prior to Pathmark (#9 U.S. retailer & #1 in NY/NJ & Eastern PA) launch of the Big Deals & Deep Values warehouse inspired format and B.J. Warehouse Club stores shifted their focus to more food retailing.
Earl taught his family and all Redner's leaders on providing great value, quality, and service to help raise the standards of living for all customers and communities with Redners.
Without Earl Redner & some other great leaders who left, Grand Union lost its way and was the biggest food retail liquidation in the 20th Century.
At Redner's, in Reading and throughout PA and the surrounding states, Earl Redner and his family's exceptional legacy will live on throughout time from what Earle has given us all as one of the truly great missionary-like merchants and leaders, who worked with his fine family throughout his life to make life better for millions of people across hundreds of miles.
Earl Redner was a seminal genius, like Reading's late and great Al Boscov, who worked with tremendous enthusiasm, dedication, and success for all.
Earl Redner took an idea that my great grandfather, S.M. (Smith Michael) Flickinger took out of a foster home and a farm to start retail franchising at Red & White and then work with Frank Grimes to help found IGA, a highly successfully retail franchise. Earl Redner took the IGA and Red & White ideas to an even better level. They were formed to give independent families a means to compete successfully with major supermarket chains.
Earl Redner made his employee team members Redner's Markets owners/shareholders, a keystone for Redner's tremendous success
& a cornerstone for fantastic employee owned companies across America and throughout the world.
God bless Earl Redner, Mary, Gary Sr., and all the generations of the exceptional Redner's family, whose will carry on the great legacy that Earl Redner started with his wife, sons, grandchildren and every Redner family member and Redner's Markets team member.
While all know losing Earl Redner, and tragically, his son, Gary Sr., and other family members are deep, painful losses regionally, and nationally throughout the retailing and the food industry, everyone knows that Earl's and the Redner's glowing spirit and light of helping all is eternal.
God bless the family, and all his tremendous team members past, present, and future.
Most sincerely,
Burt Prentice Flickinger III
Sandi Saenz
April 6, 2017
Sending my thoughts and prayers to the Redner Family.
Steve Fetterolf
April 6, 2017
Sorry to hear this, my father worked for Redners till he retired and always said what a good company it was and use to talk about Mr. Redner coming to the stores to shop. Bless the family and all who have benefited from his generosity and knowledge
April 6, 2017
Mom -
My heart and prayers are with you. Earl was an amazing man, and we are all better people because he touched our lives. Love you so much!
Leah
Burt Prentice Flickinger III
April 6, 2017
Earl Redner spirit, leadership, and proverbial "Golden Rule" principles (Do Onto Others as One Would Have Done Onto Oneself {himself or herself}) will live eternally on earth.
Earl epitomized personal and professional ethics combined with an extraordinary work ethic and caring for everyone. After starting out at minimum wage in the warehouse at Grand Union (Top 5 U.S. supermarket chain) and through his talent and great results, he was promoted numerous times to lead Grand Union in some of their most important major markets.
Earl Redner and his family are worldwide leaders in creating Employee Owned Companies (ESOT: Employee Stock Ownership Trusts {also known as ESOPS: Employee Stock Ownership Plans}.
Earl Redner and family were and are the extremely important pioneers for having thousands of hourly team members and leader associates in the stores, warehousing & transportation & the office, et al., become company owners where they worked.
The Redner employee ownership plan model would be followed by WinCo (the fastest growing U.S. food retailer in the West), Publix (#1 in the S/East) and the employee profit sharing plan Sam and Helen Robson Walton created at Walmart. {As Board chair, Sam Walton's son, S. Rob and the Board vacated the profit sharing plan "Mr. Sam & Miss Helen" had started, which had raised the standard of living & provided education for so many families.
Earl Redner and his family always remain true to their strong team members and Redner's Markets, as well the community, worthy civic and spiritual causes,local suppliers, and everyone with whom they work.
Earl Redner and his family pioneered the warehouse food format prior to Pathmark (#9 U.S. retailer & #1 in NY/NJ & Eastern PA) launch of the Deep Values warehouse inspired format.
Earl taught his family and all Redner's leaders on providing great value, quality, and service to help raise the standards of living for all customers and communities with Redners.
Without Earl Redner & some other great leaders who left, Grand Union lost its way and was the biggest food retail liquidation in the 20th Century.
At Redner's, in Reading and throughout PA and the surrounding states, Earl Redner and his family's exceptional legacy will live on throughout time from what Earle has given us all as one of the truly great missionary-like merchants and leaders, who worked with his fine family throughout his life to make life better for millions of people across hundreds of miles.
Earl Redner was a seminal genius, like Reading's late and great Al Boscov, who worked with tremendous enthusiasm, dedication, and success for all.
Earl Redner took an idea that my great grandfather, S.M. (Smith Michael) Flickinger took out of a foster home and a farm to start retail franchising at Red & White and then work with Frank Grimes to help found IGA, a highly successfully retail franchise. Earl Redner took the IGA and Red & White ideas to an even better level. They were formed to give independent families a means to compete successfully with major supermarket chains.
Earl Redner made his employee team members Redner's Markets owners/shareholders, a keystone for
Redner's tremendous success
& a cornerstone for fantastic employee owned companies across America and throughout the world.
God bless Earl Redner, Mary, Gary Sr., and all the generations of the exceptional Redner's family, whose will carry on the great legacy that Earl Redner started with his wife, sons, grandchildren and every Redner family member and Redner's Markets team member.
While all know losing Earl Redner, and tragically, his son, Gary Sr., and other family members are deep, painful losses regionally, and nationally throughout the retailing and the food industry, everyone knows that Earl's and the Redner's glowing spirit and light of helping all is eternal.
God bless the family, and all his tremendous team members past, present, and future.
Most sincerely,
Burt Prentice Flickinger III
Kathleen Fielis-smyth
April 6, 2017
Karen,
So sorry to hear of your loss. May the good memories ease your sadness. Kathleen
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