Harry "Flair" Belsinger Jr., who created some of Baltimore's best-known signs, died Thursday of congestive heart failure at Stella Maris Rehabilitation Center in Timonium. The Severna Park resident was 80.
The president and chief executive officer of Belsinger Sign Works Inc. in Southwest Baltimore from 1958 to 2000, he was working at the family business in the 1950s when he and others created the stainless steel letters for the facade of Memorial Stadium. He and his employees also made signs for Oriole Park at Camden Yards and Ravens Stadium, and, most recently, Lexington Market.
Born in Baltimore and raised on West Baltimore Street, he was a 1939 Polytechnic Institute graduate. He earned a degree from Fenn College of Engineering in Cleveland, Ohio. His nickname "Flair" came from his mother's maiden name, O'Flaherty.
During World War II, he served in the Army Air Forces. A B-17 pilot, he flew 25 bombing missions over Europe, including a run over Dresden, Germany, during which he was unaware that his plane had been hit and its landing gear was down.
Friends said that when he arrived back at an English airfield, he realized he was also out of fuel. Mr. Belsinger was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. He attained the rank of colonel.
Friends said he was working on a sign on Pearl Harbor Sunday, Dec. 7, 1941, when the business founded by his father in 1919 was then located at 2201 N. Payson St. The next day he volunteered for military service -- without telling his parents.
"His strength and ability was problem solving," said Harry Connolly Jr., sales manager of Belsinger Signs, who lives in Catonsville. "He could design, sell, build and obtain the permits. He always had time to stop whatever he was doing to help."
Co-workers said that at the time of his death, Mr. Belsinger had the plans on his desk for the exterior arched canopy for the Hippodrome Theatre on North Eutaw Street. He had been working on the marquee's re-creation from old photographs.
"He looked you directly in the eye, put his face in yours and told you what he wanted," said Norman P. James, a colleague who lives in Riviera Beach. "He was a good engineer, and there was always a lot of truth in what he was telling you."
Jack A Nethen, secretary-treasurer of Claude Neon Signs, said he and Mr. Belsinger were competitors and friends for 50 years.
"I admired him because he brought fairness and integrity to the industry," said Mr. Nethen, who lives in Glen Burnie.
Friends said Mr. Belsinger was proud of a set of large neon letters he designed and built for the Glenn L. Martin Co. aircraft plant in Middle River. He also worked with developer James Rouse to create signs in 1958 for the Harundale Mall and designed signs for Towson Plaza and Westview Mall.
Mr. Belsinger lent the Baltimore Museum of Industry the sign from the old Ford's Theatre on West Fayette Street. He removed the sign after attending its last musical comedy, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, in 1964.
He built signs for Hochschild Kohn department stores, Savings Bank of Baltimore and Maryland National Bank, including a large set of letters, M and N, that sat atop its roof at Baltimore and Light streets.
He was a past president of the Maryland Sign Association.
His wife of 30 years, Gertrude E. Link, died in 1979.
A memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. tomorrow at the Ruck Towson Funeral Home, 1050 York Road.
Survivors include a son, David L. Belsinger of Naples, Fla.; a daughter, Judith C. Belsinger of Towson; a fiancee, Mary A. Forson of Severna Park; a brother, Robert Belsinger of Ellicott City; a sister, Claire B. Martielli of Ellicott City; three grandchildren; and a great-granddaughter. A son, Ronald F. Belsinger, died in March.