R.B. Jennings Jr.

GREENSBORO, NORTH CAROLINA, U.S. — R.B. Jennings Jr., who was involved in the milling and baking industry for more than 50 years, including with Jennings Cobble, LLC, died April 18 at the age of 77.

He entered the milling and baking industry as a sales manager with Piedmont Mills in Lynchburg, Virginia, U.S., in 1965. He launched the Jenco flour brokerage, later expanding to add bakery ingredients and Jenco mixes such as Autumn Grain and Old Fashion Mix. He created Thrift Express Logistics, Inc. to supply bakery thrift stores with inventory items.

Jennings in 2003 partnered with Crockett Cobble to create Jennings Cobble. The Greensboro-based company merchandizes flour and bakery products for the wholesale bakery industry. Mr. Jennings was an allied member of the American Bakers Association, the Biscuit & Cracker Manufacturers’ Association, the Independent Bakers Association and the Cookie & Snack Bakers Association. For many years he attended the Sosland Publishing Purchasing Seminar.

Jennings was born on Aug. 19, 1940, in Greensboro to Rezin Bass and Mary Woods Jennings. After graduating from Walter M. Williams High School, he attended the University of North Carolina and Elon College before joining the Air Force. He served in air-traffic control at Luke Air Force Base in Arizona.

Jennings was a member of several golf clubs and most recently lived in Figure Eight Island in North Carolina and Vero Beach, Florida, U.S.

He is survived by his wife, Martha Faye Autry Jennings; brother Maurice Jennings; daughters Jennifer (Jim) Thomasson of Newnan, Georgia, U.S., Laura (Brett) Schulman of Greensboro, Amy (Michael) Patton of Wilmington, North Carolina, U.S., Meg (Bobby) Norris of Greensboro, and Dee (Jason) Roghelia of Greensboro.

Donations may be sent to Cancer Research, Cardiovascular Research or the Center of Regenerative Medicine: Mayo Clinic Florida, Department of Development, 4500 San Pablo Road, Jacksonville, FL 32224.