BURBANK, Calif. — Jack Wanamaker, one of the original pioneers of rental, died in his sleep Jan. 10, three weeks shy of his 88th birthday.

Born in Barnes, Kan., Wanamaker moved to California in 1936 and three years later opened Wanamaker Rents in the Los Angeles suburb of Burbank, a business he would own for six decades until he sold it to United Rentals in 1999.

Instrumental in the founding of the California Rental Association, Wanamaker served as the organization's first president from 1955-1957 and served again as president in 1973. He also served CRA as treasurer from 1964-65 and was first president of CRA's southern chapter in 1966-67. After his 1973 presidency, he remained on the CRA board of directors until he sold his company.

Located near Burbank Studios, Wanamaker was the industry's first major equipment supplier to the entertainment industry. He continued to rent equipment for film and television production as long as he owned the company, and also rented to contractors and homeowners. He also owned AC Equipment Rentals in Inglewood, Calif., which he sold in 1999.

Wanamaker Rents was not the largest rental company in the Los Angeles area, but was always a major player. In its last year, the company was No. 98 on the RER 100 with a rental volume of about $6 million.

In addition to his rental achievements, Wanamaker is best known for his annual big-game hunting trips, which took him to every continent on the planet. He collected several hundred animal species in his hunting efforts. After displaying them for years in an upstairs museum at Wanamaker Rents, he donated them to the Northeastern Nevada Historical Society and Museum in Elko, Nev., where he constructed the Wanamaker Wing.

He was an avid conservationist, and participated in and contributed to conservation efforts, for which he received many awards. Wanamaker also visited rental companies around the world, was a regular at rental industry events and was known for his sense of humor and gregarious personality.

Wanamaker is survived by his wife Frances, his daughter Barbara Parker, sons William Wanamaker and Steve Browning, seven grandsons, two great-grandsons, a brother and two sisters.