John R. "Jack" Congdon, Sr., the son of Old Dominion Freight Line Inc. founders Earl Sr. and Lillian Congdon and a pioneer in the truck-leasing field, has died following a battle with cancer, the company said. He was 80.
Congdon joined Thomasville, N.C.-based Old Dominion in 1951 and, during his career, served as senior vice president and as vice chairman, among other positions. He also founded Old Dominion Truck Leasing, a Virginia-based corporation primarily engaged in the full-service leasing of tractors, trailers, and other equipment.
"Jack Congdon is rightly considered a trailblazer within the trucking industry. In addition to founding Old Dominion Truck Leasing, he played an integral role in ensuring the success of Old Dominion Freight Line," said David Congdon, Old Dominion's president and CEO and Jack Congdon's nephew.
After serving in the U.S. Army as a military policeman, Jack Congdon returned to join his mother and older brother, Earl Congdon Jr., to build Old Dominion, which was the family business.
He is preceded in death by Natalie Neblett Congdon, his wife of 58 years, and survived by their three children, Susan Terry, John Congdon Jr., and Jeff Congdon. He is also survived by his older brother, Earl Congdon, and eight grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.
