John F. "Jack" Silber, who managed plants for McCormick & Co. and local printing companies, died of progressive supranuclear palsy Tuesday at Gilchrist Center for Hospice Care. The South Baltimore resident was 80.

Born and raised in South Baltimore, Mr. Silber graduated from Southern High School in 1945. After serving about a year in the Navy, Mr. Silber attended Western Maryland College, now McDaniel College, where he wrestled and played football. He earned a bachelor's degree in liberal arts.

Mr. Silber moved back to Baltimore and spent 17 years at McCormick, starting out as a human resources worker. He went on to manage the company's Baltimore plant and later served as vice president of its Massachusetts-based tubed products division, which manufactured cake icing.

After retiring from McCormick in 1974, Mr. Silber spent the rest of his career in the printing industry, managing plants for local printers before going into private consulting.

Mr. Silber served a stint as president of the Printing Industries of Maryland, said his son, Craig Silber of Voorhees, N.J.

An avid fan of the Orioles and Colts, and later of the Ravens, Mr. Silber was a family man who enjoyed taking his children and grandchildren sight-seeing around Baltimore, his son said.

Mr. Silber's marriage to Joan D. Fendall ended in divorce in 1983.

A service will be held at 2 p.m. today at Christ Lutheran Church, 701 S. Charles St.

In addition to his son, survivors include four daughters, Dawn Walter of Hampden, Jill Root of Boulder, Colo., Jamie Frank of Reisterstown and Jennifer Schneidereith of Lutherville; a sister, Doris Ruszin of Pasadena; and 11 grandchildren.

Josh Mitchell