- James E. Webb Jr., a retired business executive and son of the late drugstore merchant, died Monday (July 28, 1997) at home. He was 75.
He had been ill with cancer for about a dozen years and was treated earlier this year at St. Anthony's Hospital, said Elizabeth ""Betsy'' Webb, his wife of 48 years.
His father, James E. ""Doc'' Webb, started his landmark drugstore in 1925 and through the years built the area between First and Fourth avenues S and Seventh and 10th streets into a collection of 75 stores. He sold his interests in 1974. Five years later the store declared bankruptcy and closed. He died in 1982.
James Webb Jr., while holding the honorary title of executive vice president of Webb's City, home of the talking mermaids and dancing chicken, broke with his father in 1973. He sold most of his stock and became a co-owner of Farm Products Marketing Co. in Tampa. His father blamed differing business views for the split.
For the past five years, Mr. Webb had worked in Largo with a son, Skip, selling the Florida Cracker, a gadget that pops open oysters and clams.
Mr. Webb came here as a child from his native Knoxville, Tenn. In World War II, he was an Army Air Forces fighter pilot who flew over Normandy during the D-day invasion. He received a Purple Heart and the Air Medal. He was Protestant.
In addition to his wife and Skip Webb, survivors include sons James E. III, Largo, and Troy, Holly Hills, N.C.; a daughter, Sherry Webb Treadwell, St. Petersburg; eight grandchildren; and a great-grandchild.
C.E. Prevatt Funeral Home, St. Petersburg, is in charge of arrangements, which were incomplete Monday.
- Information from Times files was used in this obituary.
St. Petersburg Times (FL)
Date: July 29, 1997
Author: CRAIG BASSE
Edition: 0 SOUTH PINELLAS
Page: 7B; 5; 5
Record Number: 097
Copyright (c) 1997 St. Petersburg Times
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1921 - 1997 (75 years) 
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