John. T. “Jack” Butcher Jr., 79, founder of Industrial Bolt & Supply Inc. in Auburn, Washington, died March 24.

Butcher and his wife, Linda Butcher, founded the distributorship in 1977 and managed it for 30 years. It grew from two employees to 40 employees with salespeople in seven Western states.

He had been on the Specialty Tools & Fasteners Distributors Association board. He retired in 2007 and sold the business to his children: daughter Michelle St. John, is IBS president and was the 2018 STAFDA president; and son, Derek Butcher, is CEO.

As a Rotary Club member and president he participated in polio eradication efforts in Ethiopia, immunizing children with the life saving polio vaccine, a cause that was dear to his heart, as he had polio as a child. The family suggests memorial donations to Global Polio Eradication Initiative http://polioeradication.org/financing/donate/.

Messages to the family may be sent to: IBS, 740 Clay St. NW, Auburn, WA 98001. Email: michelle@IndustrialBolt.com