Reading Eagle, Dec. 29

Trollinger, retired Reading Eagle editor, dies at 71

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 bagan 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 bacame 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. During that time he also wrote twice-weekly editorial page columns and a Sunday entertainment column titled "Backstage."

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 also is 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 also are five grandchildren.