Obituary: Roy Marks

Leroy “Roy” Marks, an influential presence in the Mid-Atlantic grocery industry over the course of his long career, died on Jan. 22. The retired executive was 87 and lived in Pikesville, Md.

Marks spent his entire career in the grocery sector, beginning at Giant Food, in Landover, Md., before taking a job with Pennsylvania wholesaler P.A. & S. Small. Subsequently, at Food-A-Rama, Baltimore’s largest independent grocer in the 1970s and 1980s, he held the role of VP of operations. In 1982, Marks moved to Jumbo Food Stores, which later changed its name to Shoppers Food Warehouse.

“Roy was instrumental in the growth and success of both Food-A-Rama’s and Shoppers’ warehouse-style format,” noted grocery industry observer Jeremy Diamond, director of Baltimore-based Diamond Marketing Group, whose family owned and operated Food-A-Rama. “He worked with legendary grocers such as Ben Schuster, Paul and Dave Diamond, and Kenneth Herman, among others. He was a great guy and will be missed by industry colleagues and friends.”

For his professional accomplishments, Marks was inducted into the Maryland Food Industry Hall of Fame in 2011.

Survivors include his wife, Alice Shapiro Marks, and two children.

Funeral services and interment will take place at Baltimore Hebrew Cemetery-Berrymans Lane on Wednesday, Jan. 24, at 3 p.m. Contributions in Marks' memory may be sent to Baltimore Hebrew Congregation, 7401 Park Heights Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21208.