MORENO VALLEY, Calif.-John T. (Jack) Darrow, a longtime manager for Bridgestone/Firestone, died April 24. He was 71.
Mr. Darrow worked in various capacities for Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. and later Bridgestone/Firestone for 361/2 years. He started as a tire installer for a Firestone store and moved through the ranks to store manager, territory salesman, district manager and became western division manager for Firestone Tire & Rubber Co. in 1968.
In 1970, Mr. Darrow became West Coast division manager and spent the next 181/2 years in California growing retail stores for Firestone's retail division. As part of his responsibilities for dealer operations, Mr. Darrow was instrumental in the growth of Parnelli Jones Inc. by helping arrange acquisitions of stores for the dealership.
He retired from BFS in 1988 as wholesale zone manager.
He is survived by his wife Jackie; sons Danny, a manager at a Goodyear Express Tire outlet, Jeff, owner of Certified Tire & Service Centers Inc. in Moreno Valley and Brian; daughter Kathy; and several grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Gary Ferguson
BOWLING GREEN, Ky.-Gary Ferguson, manager of a Big O Tires Inc. store in Bowling Green, died March 6. He was 60.
Mr. Ferguson, a mechanic for most of his career, spent 10 years with Big O and managed the Bowling Green location for five years. Under his leadership, that store reached $1 million in sales for the first time in 2001.
Mr. Ferguson is survived by his wife, Edwinta, two daughters and a son.