Gary Lee Trollinger

1934 - 2005  (71 years)

• Name	Gary Lee Trollinger
  Birth	4 Nov 1934	Pottstown, Montgomery, PA
  Gender	Male
  Death	28 Dec 2005	Wyomissing, Berks, PA
  	He died of brain tumors on 28 Dec 2005 in Berks County, PA. Gary L. Trollinger, retired Eagle editor Gary L. Trollinger, retired editorial page editor and theatrical reviewer employed by Reading Eagle Company, died Dec. 28 in the Highlands at Wyomissing Skilled Nursing Unit. Trollinger, 71, Wyomissing Hills, was the husband of Laree M. (McNeal) Trollinger. He began his newspaper career in July 1949 at the age of 14 as a part-time employee in the sports department at the Pottstown Mercury. Trollinger became a full-time employee in 1952. He became a full-time reporter in April 1954, subsequently moving up to copy editor and sports editor. In 1956, he moved to the Santa Maria (Calif.) Times as a reporter and editor for a year before being drafted. He came to the Eagle in April 1959 as a reporter and later served as a copy editor and copy chief. In 1982, Trollinger was named assistant managing editor. He became editorial page editor in 1991 and retired Dec. 31, 1999. From 1960 through 1975, he wrote all local theater and music reviews for the newspaper. He also wrote twice-weekly editorial page columns and Sunday entertainment column entitled "Backstage" during that time. Trollinger also wrote movie reviews from 1980 until his retirement. In addition, he wrote book and record reviews. He appeared in the Reading Community Players production of "Visit to a Small Planet" in 1967. For six years in the 1960s, Trollinger acted in and directed a chancel drama group, "The Luther Players", performing in churches and colleges in the Reading, Lehigh Valley and Philadelphia areas. Born in Pottstown, he was a son of the late George C. and Dorothy L. (Ecker) Trollinger. He was a 1951 graduate of Pottstown High School and attended Ursinus College, Collegeville, Montgomery County. Trollinger was a member of Atonement Lutheran Church, Wyomissing, where he served two terms on church council. He also served on the parish mission committee of the Northeastern Pennsylvania Lutheran Synod. He was an Army veteran. Trollinger is also survived by two daughters, Valerie L. Trollinger, Ewing, N.J., and Lorraine C. Trollinger, Hatboro, Montgomery County; and two sons, Vernon M., Iowa City, Iowa, and Karl R., Houston. Other survivors include a brother, G. Carlos, and a sister, Yvonne T. (Trollinger) Strom, both of Pottstown. There are also five grandchildren. Services will be Monday at 10:30 a.m. in Atonement Lutheran Church. Inurnment will be in the church columbarium. Edward J. Kuhn Funeral Home Inc., West Reading, is in charge of arrangements. Eagle Link - Reading Times/Reading Eagle - (Jan/5/2006) Gary L. Trollinger, 71, of Wyomissing Hills, died December 28th, in the Highlands at Wyomissing Skilled Nursing Unit. He was the husband of Laree M. (McNeal) Trollinger. Born in Pottstown, he was a son of the late George C. and Dorothy L. (Ecker) Trollinger. He was a 1951 graduate of Pottstown High School. Trollinger was employed by the Pottstown Mercury in the sports department from 1948 till 1955. He was later employed 41 years by the Reading Eagle Company, first as a reporter and last working in 2000 as the Editor of the Editorial Page. Trollinger was a member of Atonement Lutheran Church, Wyomissing. He was an Army Veteran. Trollinger is also survived by two daughters, Valerie L. Trollinger of Ewing, N.J. and Lorraine C. Trollinger of Hatboro, Montgomery County. Other survivors include two sons, Vernon M. of Iowa City, Iowa and Karl R. of Houston, Texas. Additional survivors include a brother, G. Carlos Trollinger of Pottstown and a sister, Yvonne T. (Trollinger) Strom of Pottstown. There are five grandchildren. Memorial Services will be held Monday at 10:30 am in Atonement Lutheran Church, Wyomissing. Inurnment will be in the church columbarium. In lieu of flowers contributions may be made to Atonement Lutheran Endowment Fund 5 Wyomissing Blvd., Wyomissing, Pa 19610; Opportunity House, 430 North 2nd Street, Reading, Pa, 19601; Reading Symphony Orchestra Association, 147 North 5th Street, Reading, Pa 19601 or American Brain and Tumor Association, 2720 River Road, Des Plaines, IL 60018. Edward J. Kuhn Funeral Home, Inc., West Reading is in charge of arrangements.
  Burial	Wyomissing, Berks, PA
  	BURIAL Atonement Lutheran Church Columbarium Wyomissing, Berks County, Pennsylvania, USA
  Person ID	I2098	Drollinger Genealogy
  Last Modified	21 Nov 2023

  
  

  Father	George Carolus Trollinger,   b. 2 Feb 1904, Pottstown, Montgomery, PA d. Jan 1979, PA (Age 74 years)
  Mother	Dorothy L. Ecker,   b. 1 May 1905, Pottstown, Montgomery, PA d. 29 Mar 2000, Pottstown, Montgomery, PA (Age 94 years)
  Family ID	F691	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

  Family	Dr. Bessie Laree McNeal,   b. 26 Jan 1932, Carlton, Carlton, MN d. 21 Mar 2024, Wyomissing, Berks, PA (Age 92 years)
  Children	1. Dr. Valeria Leona (Leone) "Valerie" Trollinger   2. Vernon McNeal Trollinger   3. Dr. Lorraine Christine Trollinger   4. Karl Richard Trollinger
  Family ID	F700	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart
  Last Modified	14 Mar 2016

  
  

• Event Map

  Birth - 4 Nov 1934 - Pottstown, Montgomery, PA Death - 28 Dec 2005 - Wyomissing, Berks, PA Burial - - Wyomissing, Berks, PA  = Link to Google Earth

  
  

• Photos

  1951 Yearbook Photo Pottstown High School Pottstown, Pennsylvania, USA

  
  

  Documents		Yvonne Trollinger Guest of Honor At Party, Dance Yvonne Trollinger Guest of Honor At Party, Dance Celebrating her 15th birthday anniversary. anniversary. Miss Yvonne Trollinger was guest of honor at a surprise party and dance given by her parents. parents. Mr. and Mrs. George C. Trollinger, Trollinger, 307 North Evans street, recently recently m the YWCA clubrooms. Color scheme was the Pottstown Junior High school colors, purple and gold. A buffet luncheon was served and the honored guest received received many gifts. Present were Miss Sara Jane Capp, Miss Marguerite Blackwell, Miss Dorothy Kurtz. Miss Doris Erb, Miss Joyce Swavely, Miss Norma Twiner, Miss Janet Corbett, Miss Betty Jane Fegley, Miss Barbara Snell, Miss Fern Drumheller, Misa Marjorie Stofko, Miss Mary Thersea O'Donnell, Miss Colleen O'Neill, Miss Dorothy Dampman. Miss Eleanor Mock, Miss Frances Elliott, Miss Louise Psota, Miss Jane Trollinger, Miss Connie Chaplin and Miss Cherry Rachild. Also Mr. Richard Geyer, Mr Gerald Dames, Mr. David Kerr, Mr David Detar Jr., Mr Donald Flowers, Mr. Thomas Wayock, Mr. Donald Haag, Mr. Elmer Panoc, Mr Walter Carroll, Mr. Robert Russell, Mr. Robert Martz, Mr Joseph Hahn Jr., Mr George Prutzman, Mr, James Pollock Jr., Mr. Charles Hayer, Mr. Douglas Waters. Mr. Leonard Bernhart. Mr. Kenrick Dwver, Mr. Thomas Reidnauer 3d, Mr. Stanley Madeja, Mr. Rodney Custer, Mr. Gary Trollinger, Mr. G. Carlos Trollinger 3d, Mr. Edward Dames, Mrs. Leonard Rachild, Mrs. Charles Zern, Miss Nellie Koury, Mr. and Mrs. Earl Custer, the host and hostess, and the guest of honor.
  		Play a bit part in a movie Only for the Oscar Play a bit I got a letter from Gary Trollinger the editorial page editor of the Reading (Pa) Eagle who asked as tactfully as he could what had possessed me to appear in a movie. His question was not based on the proposition that the movie in question was a particularly shameful movie to be in It was “Sleepless in Seattle” a summer release whose -cast also includes if I may put it that way Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan. Trollinger whose responsibilities at the Reading Eagle happen to include some movie reviewing said that he reported favorably to his readers on “Sleepless in Seattle” - or as he put it in the letter about my participation "I liked it anyhow". Still as I understood Trollinger’s query he was curious as to why a columnist who had been hovering on the edges of respectability would choose to take a bit part in a Hollywood movie. Diplomatically he did not add that the character I had been asked to play - an uncle recently released from prison after doing some mail fraud - was not particularly uplifting. The answer is simple: the Academy Award. That’s right I did it in the hope of winning an Oscar. If Trollinger doesn’t believe that he need only get in touch with Alan Comfort a friend of mine in Nova Scotia which is where I happened to be last summer when I was informed that the director was ready for me in Seattle. As I left I said “Alan I want to promise you one thing: if I win an Academy Award my speech is going to consist of thanking you for driving me to the Halifax airport". It was the second Oscar acceptance speech I had planned Years ago I had an idea for a screenplay but I realized that if I was going to write it I should at least know what a screenplay was supposed to look like I phoned a friend of mine who had worked on some screenplays - for the sake of his privacy I’ll call my friend John Gregory Dunne - and asked him to send me one as a sample I told him that if I won the Oscar for Best Original Screenplay my acceptance speech would be In its entirety "I’d like to thank John Gregory Dunne for teaching me margins Everything else I did myself” For one reason or another - maybe I spent too much time polishing that speech -1 never got around to doing the screenplay So as last summer approached I had never won an Oscar I figured "Sleepless in Seattle” was my chance My model was Wilford Brimley who - in what was as far as I know his first significant Hollywood part came in during the last ten minutes or so of “Absence of Malice” and took over the movie Brimley was so good that just for a moment you forgot how stupid the plot was. He was nominated for an Academy Award. At this point in the explanation I suspect Trollinger would like to remind me that I could hardly expect an Academy Award nomination for appearing in one Christmas-dinner -scene with a lot of other people and uttering only seven or eight words That’s true - although the way I prefer to express the number of words I spoke is “nearly ten.” What Trollinger doesn’t know is this: there was another scene. That’s right I had a big scene. It was set on that same Christmas Day in that same house I was on a landing of the stairs and I was trying to teach three boys to bark like a dog I did all the talking - much more than ten words. The boys did a little barking. The scene had Oscar written all over it. Did it end up on the cutting floor? No it ended up on a video cassette that the editor was kind enough to make for me I show it regularly I’d be happy to show it to Trollinger A man of his experience with the cinematic arts would certainly appreciate it if I actually offered to use It to pro- mote the movie doing a version of those talk show appearances made by stars who chat about their recently released movie and then show a clip After the host raved about the 1 dip I would say "Yes and that scene was cut so you can imagine how good the scenes are that actually made it into the movie" I was disappointed that my promotional efforts weren’t needed I thought a movie producer might see the dip and offer me another role - a slightly larger role I would take over the movie. I would win the Academy.

  
  

• Notes

  U.S., School Yearbooks Name Gary L Trollinger Estimated Age 16 Birth Year abt 1935 Yearbook Date 1951 School Pottstown High School School Location Pottstown, Pennsylvania, USA Gary was a journalist. He wrote a column called, "In this Corner". http://romanchristendom.blogspot.com/2007_09_01_archive.html This is a book of stories about Catholic laymen - that much neglected and often maligned group in today's supposedly "renewed" and "in touch" circles in the Catholic Church. It's a collection of stories about men doing manly things that women don't usually do and that Feminists usually hate. So, therefore, apart from the unfortunate inability of its American authors and publishers to spell the Queen's English properly (and, remember, folks, the English invented English!), it is a good book. And don't worry, ladies, there's another book, from the same publishers, called Amazing Grace for Mothers in which ladies do heroic things that men don't usually do. In the Catholic Church we are not afraid for men to be men and women to be women. Indeed, since that's how God made us, we're proud of the fact. Here's what Christine Trollinger says about the Dad she so obviously loves: "During the winding down of the war against Japan, my Dad served in the Pacific. One night, he drew night patrol and was assigned to scout for enemy troop movements in the rough jungle terrain. He had just climbed a tree to conceal himself when, seemingly out of nowhere, the entire area beneath the tree was filled with Japanese soldiers. Dad found himself trapped in the treetop for hours, as the enemy decided to camp right beneath the tree. Barely able to breathe for fear of giving himself away his position, Dad said he spent the time praying for God' protection and asking God to help him. Every prayer he had ever learned swirled through his mind and heart as he waited silently in that treetop. He prayed not to be discovered. And, as time went on, he began to pray for the enemy soliders beneath the tree. He said he could see in his mind's eye our family back home, and he imagined these soldiers missing their loved ones, too. Up close, the enemy soldiers looked very much like the men in his own unit. While their physical appearance was different and he could not understand their language, he knew that they were God's children, too. They were all men caught up in a war, whch had brought them all to serve their respective countries. They fought for what they thought was right according to their upbringing and nationality - who might never see their loved ones again should they perish in the jungles of war. As he prayed and watched them, they sat and relaxed around the jungle clearing, laughing and sharing letters and photos from back home, just as my father and his fellow soldiers often did. As night began to give way to the first light of the morning, my father accepted that in the end he would probably not be returning home. The odds were stacked against him. He knew that he could not remain motionless and undetected for much longer. Having made his peace with God, my Dad began his final silent prayer. He prayed for the men beneath him and for their families and for courage for himself. Just as my father gave everything over to our Father in heaven and made the sign of the Cross, an enemy soldier spotted his hiding place in the treetop. As my father signed himself with the Cross, their eyes locked. To my Dad's utter amazement, the enemy soldier silently made the sign of the Cross himself, and put his finger to his lips as if to say, 'Be still, my brother, I shall not betray you'. Almost in that very instant, the enemy soldiers began to move out as silently and as quickly as they had arrived. My Dad never ceased thanking God for his protection that day. And Dad always remembered to pray for his brother in Christ - and enemy solider, whose name he never knew - who had spared his life and surely loved God, too." This was the victory of the Holy Cross: a victory that made friends of enemies, through the recognition of the sign of the Holy Sacrifice of Christ, the God Who became a vanquished slave and victim for our sakes. How utterly different from the pagan idea of victory and conquest! Pagans of old used to consider that defeating their enemies was not enough. They had also to demolish them completely, to immolate them and annihilate them, even, in some cases, by eating their flesh as cannibals so that nothing remained of them. Modern pagans, like the Nazis, tried to immolate and annihilate their enemies, too, as they did with the Jews. The late President Idi Amin of Uganda used to eat his enemies as did the New Guinea pagans of the Kukukuku tribe, the last of the pagan cannibals of that country. The conquests of our Lord Jesus Christ are entirely the opposite. He gives us His own flesh to eat mysteriously in the Sacrament of the Altar in the form of food, with the appearance of bread and wine, even annihilating Himself physically and appearing as humble creatures of bread and wine, so that we need never eat the flesh of our enemies, whether figuratively or really, as the gross pagans did and do. Likewise, His conquests of his enemies and our conquests, too, consist in overcoming them by making them our friends. This, surely, is the most glorious conquest of all, for neither side loses but, equally, one's enemy is totally vanquished and is no more, because he is now rather one's friend and brother. What a beautiful conquest! What a glorious victory - none greater can there be! This is the best and most satisfying conquest of all: when two enemies overcome enmity and, in the name of Christ and His Holy Cross, become friends. That, truly, makes the Holy Cross a sign that conquers most fully and completely. In this sign, therefore, let us conquer, and remember what that the Emperor Constantine saw in the sky before he began the conversion of the Roman Empire to Christ: