Earl D. Holton

Earl D. Holton, age 90, of Grand Rapids, MI, past President of Meijer Inc. for 16 years, died on Friday, May 10, 2024. Mr. Holton served as President of Meijer from 1980 to 1999, and his tenure as a non-Meijer family president of the company is a tribute both to his business acumen, and his close relationship with Frederik Meijer. 

Born on January 23, 1934, in Manton, MI, he graduated from Cedar Springs High School in 1951, and in December of 1952 he landed a job working at the local Meijer Supermarket. At the time, it was one of only six in the fledgling company. While stocking shelves there, he met Hendrik Meijer and his son, Frederik, and a lifelong, close friendship soon formed between Earl and Fred. Even from those early days, Earl always credited Fred as his business and life mentor.

It was during his senior year in high school when Earl met a waitress at the Cedar Café just across the street from the Meijer store who caught his eye. After dating for a time, he and Donnalee were married in August of 1952, and in August of 2023, they celebrated their 71st wedding anniversary; a high school romance that lasted 72 wonderful years.

Mr. Holton’s responsibilities at Meijer expanded as the company did. He managed his first supermarket at the age of 21 in downtown Grand Rapids, and by 1962, he was the head of operations when the company initiated a retail innovation by combining grocery and general merchandise sales, this being the first Meijer “Thrifty Acres” store at 28th St. and Kalamazoo Ave. in Grand Rapids. This was the precursor of the superstore model that now has come to dominate the grocery/retail landscape known as Meijer, nationwide. In 1980, Mr. Holton became president of the company, succeeding Harvey Lemmen, the first non-family president of Meijer.    

“Earl had a huge impact on our company in many ways,” Hank Meijer, Executive Chairman of Meijer said, “We have a strong tradition established by Earl that we want the most talented people running the company. Earl was a stickler for doing things right. He defined that professional leadership role in our company and the value of his legacy cannot be overstated.”

Earl always maintained a devoted interest in the customer and often, when speaking to a new management group, would tell them, “I know how easy it is to view our store guests as a mass of people. This perspective hurts the company, though, because when we view guests this way, we soon begin treating them like a mass of people, as well. But guests aren’t a mass. They’re individuals who happen to be brought together under a single roof – ours. Each one has made a choice to shop at our store. We need to act the part of a gracious host and make each one feel welcome.” 

Over 19 years as president with Fred as chairman and leadership partner, the company expanded from 62 stores, in Michigan and Ohio, to become a regional presence with the addition of multiple locations in Indiana, Illinois, and Kentucky. Mr. Holton retired as Meijer president in 1999, and as vice-chairman of the company’s corporate board in 2004.

With a keen interest in the community, he also served on the boards of Old Kent Bank & Trust, (now part of Fifth Third Bank), CMS Energy, Steelcase Inc., Spectrum Health Group, Grand Valley University Foundation, and Goodwill Industries. He also served as trustee of both Albion College and Grand Valley State University.

However, Mr. Holton would proudly claim his most significant community service was co-chairing the capital campaign for the creation of the Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park, which he became involved in as a small thank you to Fred who had done so much for him and his family. Earl maintained continued active support on its board as it became one of the finest botanical gardens and sculpture parks in the world and the state’s second leading tourist attraction, under the direction of David Hooker and his successor, Charles Burke. 

Mr. Holton was in the Junior Achievement Business Hall of Fame of West Michigan and received an honorary doctorate degree in business administration from Grand Valley State University. The Holton legacy also includes the Lemmen-Holton Cancer Center on the Corewell Health Butterworth Campus and the Holton-Hooker Learning Living Center on the Allendale Campus of GVSU.

Mr. Holton is survived by his wife, Donnalee Holton; two sons, Michael (JoAnne) Holton and Brian (Jackie) Holton; two daughters, Elizabeth (John) Dolce and Kimberly Holton; eight grandchildren, Nick (TuAnh) Holton, Katy Jo Holton, Sara (Mike) Irwin, Russell Holton, Kyle (Kayla) Dolce, Alexandra Dolce, Austen Weaver and Lauren Weaver; great-granddaughters, Addison and Mackenzie Irwin. Also surviving are a step-grandson, Jason Maki, and a step-great-granddaughter, Alaina Maki, and many nieces and nephews. A grandson, Brandon Weaver predeceased him in death. 

Friends may visit with Earl’s family on Thursday, May 16, 2024, from 4-8 PM at the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park, 1000 East Beltline Ave. NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49525. In lieu of flowers, Earl desired memorials be made in his memory to the Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Foundation or to the Fred and Lena Meijer Heart Center.  

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