Earl Nelson Prothero, a retired furniture salesman who in his idle time amused his family with a whimsical cartoon strip he created about everyday life, died of a stroke Monday at his Rockville home. He was 77.
Mr. Prothero, who was known as E.N., was born and raised in St. Louis. After graduation from high school, he enlisted in the Navy in 1943, and served aboard the USS Lofberg, a destroyer, in the Pacific. He later was recalled to active sea duty during the Korean War, and was discharged as a lieutenant in 1953.
After being discharged in 1946, he went to work as a sales contractor for the Universal Match Corp's Armament Division, which provided military equipment to the Navy.
A resident of Rockville since 1960, Mr. Prothero later was employed as a salesman for 15 years at Marlo Furniture Co. until retiring in 1990.
In 1991, Mr. Prothero created a cartoon strip, which he dubbed "Grampa's World." The strip, circulated to his eight children and 23 grandchildren, chronicled the events and going-on inside the Prothero family, and was a tongue-in-cheek way for him to keep in touch with those he loved.
"He had a great sense of humor and was the cartoon character of Grampa. He captured on paper the joy and laughter of everyday life," said a daughter, Lisa Ash of Odenton. "The subject matter ranged from our vacations at Emerald Isle, N.C., where we went for 35 years, domestic life, and in recent years, his health."
A self-trained artist, Mr. Prothero spent hours working on his single- and double-panel illustrations.
"He'd sit at the kitchen table, draw them with a pencil and then have them copied. Once they were copied, he'd hand-color them and put them in little booklets which he distributed to the family," his daughter said.
Mr. Prothero was also an amiable host who enjoyed entertaining family and friends with backyard barbecues. He happily presided over a grill full of painstakingly cooked steaks, chicken and ribs. He was also known for his chili and home-grown vegetables, which he canned himself.
His health began to decline, family members said, after his youngest son, Sgt. Bruce A. Prothero, a Baltimore County police officer, was fatally shot by robbers at a Pikesville jewelry store in 2000.
A memorial service for Mr. Prothero will be held at 2 p.m. Sunday at Millian Memorial United Methodist Church, 13016 Parkland Drive, Rockville.
Mr. Prothero is survived by his wife of 56 years, the former Joan Parker; sons Rick Prothero of Bel Air, David Prothero of Virginia Beach, Va., and Greg Prothero of Gaithersburg; three other daughters, Pam Miller of Gaithersburg, Denice Fitts of Walkersville, and Lynn Wilkin of Lexington Park; a brother, Russell Prothero of St. Louis; 23 grandchildren; and a great-granddaughter.