ORANGE CITY, FLA. – Marvin Douglas Harless, who founded American Yeast and later sold the company to Lallemand, Inc., died Sept. 22 at the age of 90.

He was born Aug. 25, 1934, in Phenix City, Ala., to Marvin Wilson and Mary Evelyn (Mundy) Harless. He won a state wrestling championship while at Granby High School in Norfolk, Va., and attended the University of North Carolina on a football scholarship. He served in the US Army from February 1953 until September 1957.

Harless joined Anheuser-Busch in 1960, working for the company for 21 years. After leaving Anheuser-Busch, he started his own company, American Yeast, and built it into a national manufacturer and distributor of yeast. After Lallemand acquired American Yeast in 1988, Harless served as a consultant and member of Lallemand’s board of directors.

Harless retired at age 75 and moved to New Smyrna Beach, Fla. He had lived at John Knox Village in Orange City for the past decade.

He is survived by his wife, Elizabeth Anne (Woolard) Harless; sister Jo Ann Castagnola; brother James Paul Harless (Eileen Flynn); daughters LeaAnne Haney, Lisa Paige Harless, Lara Lee Inglish (Darin); granddaughter Brenna Morgan (Chrisopher); grandson Nicholas Allen Sarette (Rebecca Sarette); great-grandchildren Braxton and Braydon Morgan and Elowyn Sarette. He was predeceased by daughter Linda Jo Marinella.