Robert P. "Bear" Schlenger Sr., a retired Baltimore attorney and lacrosse enthusiast, died Monday of Alzheimer's disease at Edenwald retirement community in Towson. He was 75.
Born in Baltimore, Mr. Schlenger was raised on Liberty Heights Avenue.
He was a 1949 graduate of the Severn School and played midfield and attack on the varsity lacrosse team at the University of Virginia.
After earning his bachelor's degree in 1953, he served in the Navy aboard the destroyer USS Leary in the Atlantic.
He was discharged with the rank of lieutenant junior grade in 1956 and remained an active reservist until attaining the rank of lieutenant at his 1967 discharge.
From 1957 until 1962, he worked in labor relations at Bethlehem Steel Corp.'s Sparrows Point plant.
While working in labor relations and personnel at Bendix Radio Corp. in Towson, he studied law at night at the University of Baltimore.
After earning his law degree in 1964, he joined the firm of Lord & Whip, where he practiced civil litigation. He was a managing partner of the firm from 1990 to 1994 and retired in 1999.
He had been president of the Maryland Defense Counsel Inc.
Mr. Schlenger maintained a lifelong interest in lacrosse. He had played with the Mount Washington Lacrosse Club from 1957 to 1963 and later coached the team and served as a referee.
He was a member of the board of the Lacrosse Foundation, predecessor to US Lacrosse Foundation, which is the national governing body of men's and women's lacrosse, from 1974 to 1985.
He was president of the organization when it hosted the 1982 World Games at the Johns Hopkins University.
Mr. Schlenger was inducted into the Baltimore chapter of the Lacrosse Hall of Fame in 1999.
"Bob was an accomplished player and official whose passion for the game never waned," wrote Steven Stenersen, executive director of US Lacrosse, in The Sun's online guest book.
"He was an incredibly humble and generous contributor whose leadership roles were never compromised by personal agenda. His efforts were focused only on fostering collaboration and building the resources necessary to nurture and expand the sport," Mr. Stenersen wrote.
Mr. Schlenger, who had lived for many years in the Windemere neighborhood of Baltimore County before moving to Edenwald in 2003, also enjoyed playing tennis, squash and golf.
He also collected bear statues, liked vacationing at the Outer Banks, and was eight states shy of his goal of visiting all 50 states, family members said.
A nondenominational memorial service will be held at 2 p.m. Aug. 11 at St. Thomas Episcopal Church, 1108 Providence Road, Towson.
Surviving are his wife of 49 years, the former Gretchen E. Lausch; three sons, Robert P. Schlenger Jr. of Rodgers Forge, Carl B. Schlenger of Forest Hill and Paul T. Schlenger of Seattle; and five grandsons.