Gerald E. Napier passed away on July 12, 2016, at Eisenhower Medical Center, Rancho Mirage, Calif. He was born in Belmont, Ky. on January 7, 1927, the son of Jesse and Carrie Napier and the youngest of three children. He served in the United States Navy and in 1947 married Martha Tatum. Their long and loving marriage will always remain an inspiration to many, especially to their children. Gerry received his Bachelor of Science from the University of Kentucky in 1948, and his Master of Business Administration from the University of Louisville in 1952. His early career included positions at Colgate-Palmolive in Jeffersonville, Ind. and The Kroger Co. in Cincinnati, Ohio. In 1966, he joined Federated Department Stores and went on to become Senior Vice President for general operations at Abraham and Straus in New York, N.Y. and ultimately President of I. Magnin & Co., a 26-store chain based in San Francisco. Gerry retired from I. Magnin in 1988 but continued, as he had throughout his career, to be an active and prominent member of many community, cultural, and business organizations. He served as a Director of The Sharper Image Corporation, as well as Chairman Emeritus of both the San Francisco Ballet Association and the Dominican College in San Rafael, Calif.; he received an honorary doctorate degree from that college in 2010. He also served as a Director of The National Retail Merchants' Association, The San Francisco Convention and Visitors' Bureau, The California Retailers' Association, The Downtown Association of San Francisco, The Salvation Army and the Coachella Valley Symphony. He and Martha moved to the Valley in 2002 and joined Friendship Church, Sun City Palm Desert, shortly thereafter. Gerry is deeply missed. He is survived by Martha, his wife of 69 years; his children, Yvonne Ricketts (James), Guy Napier (Joan), and Mark Napier (Maureen); his grandchildren, Shannon Napier, Martha Nippert (Zack), Sean Napier, and Michael Napier; and one great-granddaughter, Mabel Nippert. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to The Salvation Army. His funeral service will be held on Saturday, July 16, 2016 at 11:00 am in the Ramon Chapel at Forest Lawn Cathedral City, Calif.
