William Kane Dies, Former Chairman of A&P; Markets

William Joseph Kane, former chairman of the board of A&P;, has died at his home at age 72.

Kane, who died Friday, was chairman of the board and chief executive officer of one of the nation’s largest supermarket chains when he retired in 1975.

Kane began his career with the company as a part-time clerk in 1931, and four years later became a full-time store manager. In 1939, he was put in charge of a group of A&P; stores in the Philadelphia area and quickly rose through the ranks, serving as assistant general superintendent of the Philadelphia unit office and general superintendent in Scranton.

In 1968, he was promoted to executive vice president of the parent company, and within three months he was promoted to president. He replaced Melvin W. Alldredge as chairman of the board in 1971.

He was survived by his wife, two sons and four daughters.