Philadelphia distributor dies while skiing in Colorado
Philadelphia distributor dies while skiing in Colorado
Philadelphia produce distributor Mark Stout died Jan. 15 while skiing in Steamboat Springs, CO. He was 45 and was the owner of Eckert's Produce Co. on the Philadelphia Regional Produce Market.
The cause of death remained unknown as autopsy results had not been released as of Jan. 22. Philadelphia industry sources who attended Mr. Stout's Jan. 22 funeral said that it is not known if Mr. Stout ran into a tree while skiing or had a heart attack and fell into a "tree well," where his body was found by resort rescuers after a two-hour search. A tree well forms after a heavy snowfall when tree branches shelter an area near the trunk, creating a hole or loosely packed area of snow. Skiers and snowboarders are at risk of falling into these wells and can easily get trapped.
According to the Bucks County Courier Times, "the local coroner, Rob Ryg, said Stout fell headfirst into a tree well but showed no physical signs of trauma. An autopsy was being performed Friday (Jan. 18), and it is likely Stout either suffocated or suffered a heart attack." By Jan. 22 no conclusions had been released. The phones at Eckert's Produce went unanswered Jan. 22.
Mr. Stout, who had purchased Eckert's Produce Co. from Dick Eckert, was on the market corporation's board and had been active in planning a new Philadelphia market, according to board President Jimmy Storey. A board meeting that had been scheduled for Jan. 16 to review progress on plans for a new market was postponed to the afternoon of Jan. 23 out of respect for Mr. Stout.
Mr. Storey, who owns Quaker City Produce Co., said that Mr. Stout was "a good stockholder, produce man and a good watermelon man. He was a good guy and did a very nice job on the market board of directors. He mainly had a spring and summer business. He was very, very large in watermelons. He took over Dick Eckert's business many years ago."
Mr. Storey said that Mr. Stout also owned a trucking company, Valley Brook Farms in Nockamixon, PA, and a wholesale produce company off the market, named J. Stout. On the market, Eckert's operated three units. Mr. Storey was unaware of how the future of Eckert's Produce will be handled, as there is no clear successor.
George Manos, president of T.M. Kovacevich-Philadelphia Inc. and also a member of the market's board, described Mr. Stout as "really an exceptional person. He was a hidden gem in this market. He was something special. He was a hard worker and a very intelligent guy. He always had the best interests of the fabric of the market at heart. Especially with the new market we are trying to create, he was at the forefront of the development."
Mr. Manos said that the Stouts taught their children to ski as soon as they could walk and "he was always happiest when he was skiing. He just bought land in Colorado and went out like a viking. He was a real mountain man. He wore flannel shirts and work boots. He always wore jeans and it struck me that he was just himself. Here in town, people respected him, but they had just started to know him."
According to news reports and industry friends, Mr. Stout and his family recently completed construction of "Stouty's Lil Romo," their dream ranch in Craig, CO, near Steamboat Springs, which is in northwestern Colorado.
Mr. Stout is survived by his wife, Marita, and three children: Monica, 20, Matt, 17, and Maggie, 16. Mr. Storey said that none of the family members had been involved in Eckert's Produce. Contributions in Mr. Stout's memory may be sent to St. Michael's Building Fund, 678 School St., Craig, CO 81625, Attn: Fr. Jim Fox.
The cause of death remained unknown as autopsy results had not been released as of Jan. 22. Philadelphia industry sources who attended Mr. Stout's Jan. 22 funeral said that it is not known if Mr. Stout ran into a tree while skiing or had a heart attack and fell into a "tree well," where his body was found by resort rescuers after a two-hour search. A tree well forms after a heavy snowfall when tree branches shelter an area near the trunk, creating a hole or loosely packed area of snow. Skiers and snowboarders are at risk of falling into these wells and can easily get trapped.
According to the Bucks County Courier Times, "the local coroner, Rob Ryg, said Stout fell headfirst into a tree well but showed no physical signs of trauma. An autopsy was being performed Friday (Jan. 18), and it is likely Stout either suffocated or suffered a heart attack." By Jan. 22 no conclusions had been released. The phones at Eckert's Produce went unanswered Jan. 22.
Mr. Stout, who had purchased Eckert's Produce Co. from Dick Eckert, was on the market corporation's board and had been active in planning a new Philadelphia market, according to board President Jimmy Storey. A board meeting that had been scheduled for Jan. 16 to review progress on plans for a new market was postponed to the afternoon of Jan. 23 out of respect for Mr. Stout.
Mr. Storey, who owns Quaker City Produce Co., said that Mr. Stout was "a good stockholder, produce man and a good watermelon man. He was a good guy and did a very nice job on the market board of directors. He mainly had a spring and summer business. He was very, very large in watermelons. He took over Dick Eckert's business many years ago."
Mr. Storey said that Mr. Stout also owned a trucking company, Valley Brook Farms in Nockamixon, PA, and a wholesale produce company off the market, named J. Stout. On the market, Eckert's operated three units. Mr. Storey was unaware of how the future of Eckert's Produce will be handled, as there is no clear successor.
George Manos, president of T.M. Kovacevich-Philadelphia Inc. and also a member of the market's board, described Mr. Stout as "really an exceptional person. He was a hidden gem in this market. He was something special. He was a hard worker and a very intelligent guy. He always had the best interests of the fabric of the market at heart. Especially with the new market we are trying to create, he was at the forefront of the development."
Mr. Manos said that the Stouts taught their children to ski as soon as they could walk and "he was always happiest when he was skiing. He just bought land in Colorado and went out like a viking. He was a real mountain man. He wore flannel shirts and work boots. He always wore jeans and it struck me that he was just himself. Here in town, people respected him, but they had just started to know him."
According to news reports and industry friends, Mr. Stout and his family recently completed construction of "Stouty's Lil Romo," their dream ranch in Craig, CO, near Steamboat Springs, which is in northwestern Colorado.
Mr. Stout is survived by his wife, Marita, and three children: Monica, 20, Matt, 17, and Maggie, 16. Mr. Storey said that none of the family members had been involved in Eckert's Produce. Contributions in Mr. Stout's memory may be sent to St. Michael's Building Fund, 678 School St., Craig, CO 81625, Attn: Fr. Jim Fox.
