Robert E. Trainor, former director of advertising for The Baltimore Sun who later established his own agency, died Saturday from complications of Alzheimer's disease at his Towson home.
He was 89.
The son of Joseph P. Trainor Jr., a plumber, and Edith Anderson, a homemaker, Robert Edward Trainor was born in Baltimore and raised near Patterson Park.
He was a 1945 graduate of Loyola High School and began his college studies at what is now Loyola University Maryland.
He left college and served in the Army from 1946 to 1948 in the occupation of Japan. He returned to Loyola and in 1950 received a bachelor's degree in business. He later obtained a master's degree in education, also from Loyola.
From 1950 to 1952, he was on the faculty of Loyola High School, where he taught and coached the junior varsity football team.
Mr. Trainor joined The Baltimore Sun in 1952 as an automobile advertising sales representative and rose to become national advertising director and, finally, director of the advertising department.
He had served on the board of directors of the International Newspaper Advertising Executive.
After retiring from The Sun in 1982, Mr. Trainor established Robert Trainor Advertising, a one-man agency, at an office on Taylor Avenue in Northeast Baltimore. He retired in 1992.
A longtime Towson resident, Mr. Trainor enjoyed following college football as well as Loyola High School's varsity football team.
He also liked to hunt, fish and play golf.
Mr. Trainor was a communicant of St. Pius X Roman Catholic Church, 6428 York Road, Rodgers Forge, where a Mass of Christian burial will be offered at 10 a.m. Saturday.
Mr. Trainor is survived by his wife of 65 years, the former Isabelle Holtman; a son, Patrick B. Trainor of Hong Kong; a daughter, Pamela A. Trainor of Towson; and many nieces and nephews.
— Frederick N. Rasmussen