WINSTON-SALEM - RICHARD BACKER PASSED AWAY Monday evening, January 11, in his home. He was born September 15, 1927 in Charlotte, NC to the late Louis and Mabel Backer. His brother, Robert M. Backer, was lost in World War II. Backer graduated from Reynolds High School and attended Duke University. He married Faela Mae Robinson of Asheville, NC in 1948. Faela passed away in 1994. His career began working with his father and mother at the Jewel Box on Liberty Street in Winston-Salem. The store was later relocated to a larger space on 4th Street. In the early 1960s, the Jewel Box Corporation was formed joining loosely affiliated Jewel Box stores. At that point, Richard came to work in the corporate headquarters of Carlyle & Co. He was elected to the Board of Directors and became Executive Vice President of Corporate Development, a position he maintained until his retirement in 2005. He joined the Board of Directors of the North Carolina Retail Merchants Association in 1980, was named to the Executive Committee in 1985 and served as Chairman of the Board in 1992. He served as Chairman of the Board of First Benefits from 1993 until 2001, a mutual insurance company providing workers compensation benefits to small business, a separate company affiliated with the Merchant Association. He was a long-standing member of Temple Emanuel in Winston-Salem, NC, where he also served as President, and Temple Emanuel in Greensboro, NC. For many years Backer was active in the National Conference of Christians and Jews, now known as the National Conference of Community and Justice. Mr. Backer was preceded in death by his son Daniel Robinson Backer. He is survived by his wife Kay Burk Backer and stepdaughter Vicki Carter (Hanes) of Winston-Salem, NC; his son Robert Martin Backer (Kathleen) of San Diego, CA; his daughter, Jane E. Backer (Brad Udall) of Boulder, CO and his grandchildren: Steven Backer (Jen Carlisle) of San Francisco, CA and Karen Backer of Greensboro, NC. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made to Temple Emanuel, 201 Oakwood Drive, Winston-Salem, NC 27103 and Temple Emanuel, 1129 Jefferson Road, Greensboro, NC 27410. Funeral arrangements are being handled by Salem Funerals and Cremations. A graveside service will be held at Greensboro Hebrew Cemetery, 2911 Gate City Boulevard (formerly High Point Road) at 2:00 p.m. Friday, January 15, 2016.

OBIT & PHOTO: News & Record Greensboro NC 1/14/2016