Charles Alan Marsh

Alan was born July 5, 1941, and the middle son of Ermal W. and Garnet Gibson Marsh of Eaton, IN. The family moved to Muncie as their grocery business grew, eventually spanning more than 110 grocery and 150 convenience stores. He attended Burris High School, where he was a standpoint tennis player and basketball player.

Alan continued his education at DePauw University, graduating in 1963, and Indiana University, where he received his MBA in 1965. His DePauw years included membership in Beta Theta Pi Fraternity and on the tennis team, a sport he was to excel in the rest of his life. The summer after graduation, he married Jan Bradford of Indianapolis and began his career behind the butcher counter, the first of many jobs at Marsh Supermarkets and Village Pantry that were to follow.

He was two years into Indiana University law school when the growing company entered the convenience store market. It was 1968 and the Village Pantry Convenience Stores were taking off. Alan gave up his final year of law school when he was tapped to develop a real estate department to accommodate this rapid growth.

Later, Alan became the vice president and general manager of the supermarket division. He became fascinated with the capabilities of computers and future possibilities of technology. He started talking with the creators of UPC (Universal Product Code) scanning to better understand the possible applications for supermarkets. Consequently, on June 26, 1974, the Troy, Ohio Marsh Supermarket was the first store to utilize UPC technology when it scanned a 10-pack of Wrigley gum. Years later, Alan represented the chain at a Smithsonian Institute ceremony regarding the advent and impact of UPC technology.

In the late ‘70s Alan became the president of Village Pantry Convenience Stores and oversaw the expansion of the division to more than 150 stores. The National Association of Convenience Stores selected Alan to join its executive committee, which led to his being named chairman of NACS in 1987.

Alan's love of tennis led to starting an indoor tennis club in Muncie. He served as a deacon and an elder of the 1st Presbyterian Church of Muncie. In addition to being on the Marsh Supermarkets board of directors, Alan served on the board of directors of Industrial Trust Savings & Loan Bank.

In 1998 Alan resigned from Marsh Supermarkets and soon after moved to Naples. He is survived by his long-time, loving companion, Maphy Long; son Charles Alan Marsh lI (Chad) of Austin, TX, (wife Jennifer Sands Marsh, their children Sidney Leigh, and Sam Charles); daughter Amanda Holt Marsh of Indianapolis (children Bradford Radican, Alyson Morgan Marsh, and Nikola Hayworth); and brothers Don Ermal Marsh of Carmel, IN and William Lyn Marsh of Naples, FL.

A celebration of life service will be held January 11, 2025 at 12:00 pm at Indianapolis Yacht Club 12900 Fall Creek Rd. McCordsville, IN 46055 .