Roger Dierberg, the longtime leader of Dierbergs Markets, passed away in January at the age of 88. Dierberg was a third generation grocer who joined the company in 1969 after a career at St. Louis-based McDonnel Aircraft. He and his cousin, Bob Dierberg, expanded the family chain from two stores to twenty. Diebergs Markets is known for being the more upscale grocery options in the St. Louis market. The family traces their lineage to a store called, “The 14 Mile House” in Creve Coeur, Missouri, which in the 1800’s served as a place where settlers bound for the west could stock up on provisions. William Dierberg Senior, Bob Dierberg’s grandfather, acquired the store in 1914. Roger Dierberg was active in the grocery industry and has the distinction of serving as the first chairman of the National Grocers Association. In 1996, he was recognized by the Missouri Grocers Association as the “Grocer of the Year”.