(Newser)
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Jack A. Weil, the Henry Ford of Western shirts who was thought to be the oldest working CEO, died yesterday at age 107, the Denver Post reports. “Papa Jack,” as he was known in the Denver community, popularized the Western shirt as we know it. The sawtooth pocket and diamond snap design of his Rockmount Ranch Wear apparel is the longest continuous style produced in the country.
Weil’s store was patronized by commoners and celebs alike, from the Killers to Bob Dylan, and all celebrated his down-home friendliness. He started the company in 1946 after emigrating from Indiana at the behest of a garter company he worked for, the Rocky Mountain News reports. "He always greeted you by standing up, giving a firm handshake and looking you in the eye, and that's part of Western culture, and a big part of who Jack was," said a friend.
