Franklin Bertrue Saylor

Franklin Bertrue Saylor Birth: October 3, 1928, St. Benedict, Pennsylvania Death: August 17, 2024, Delmar, Delaware Noted as an athlete, a businessman, and a devoted family man, he was known to all as Bert. He was gregarious and the life of every party, sporting a big smile and a bodacious personality. Though he occasionally told jokes, his strong suit was his innate talent for telling stories of his family and of his life adventures. So strong were his embellishing skills that a friend once remarked “I'm not surprised your initials are B.S.” His distinctive laugh would resound through a theater, causing an audience to join the fun and alerting anyone that knew him that Bert was in the house. Born in a two-street coal mining town in western Pennsylvania, the only child of Jean Burnett (Wilson) and William Grant Saylor, Bert inherited his mother's Scottish strength and stature. Standing over six feet tall and with an athletic build, Bert was a commanding presence and a natural sportsman. Raised to be industrious, he started to work at an early age, and by high school, he was working with heavy equipment in the coal mines alongside his father who was a mechanic. In the mid-1940s his father moved the family to Hummelstown, PA so Bert would have better work opportunities. There he attended Hummelstown High School in 1946 and graduated from Manlius Military Academy (near Syracuse, NY) in 1947. Though he excelled in any sport he tried, his passion was football. He played varsity in high school which led to a scholarship to play football at Michigan State College where he began his studies in economics in the fall of 1947. This decision would shape his life when, on the first class of the first day of school, he met Gladys Annabel Schlichting as they were seated alphabetically next to each other. They soon married on September 11, 1948, and Bert left school to start a family. After a few children, Bert's father convinced him to finish his degree. The family moved into the trailer park Michigan State provided for married students. There they lived with three kids, later adding a fourth, until his graduation in the winter of 1955. During that time, a bond formed with a handful of other couples. This friendship lasted a lifetime with annual vacation visits and outings to display their school spirit and cheer on the Michigan State Spartans at the annual big game. The Saylor family's early years were spent in Buffalo, NY, and Oakhurst, NJ. His professional life was notably marked by a dedicated career with Oldsmobile, where from 1956 to 1963, he had the distinction of being the youngest district sales manager appointed to New York City. He commuted each day from the family's residence in Wanamassa, near Asbury Park, NJ. He relished the perks of working in NYC, particularly the complimentary tickets to Broadway musicals. He claimed to have seen all the big shows during that golden age of Broadway, with The Music Man making a large impression on him. He had no musical training but enjoyed a good show tune. Somehow that was talent enough that he was tasked with making decisions—including casting—for the Oldsmobile “Industrial musicals.” Additionally, each year Oldsmobile would donate the use of a car for the Miss America pageant parade in Atlantic City where Bert would chauffeur the convertible with Miss America. The family moved to Rockville, MD late in 1963, where Bert ran dealerships in the Washington, DC area. In his meager spare time, he was an avid reader, runner, and mentor for Wheaton Boys Club wrestling. He had long held a dream of owning his own dealership. In 1979, he made that bold step and bought a dealership in Salisbury, MD, thus moving to the eastern shore with four of the younger children. Also in the early 1980s, he began working for the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) to help car dealerships in financial trouble. His innovations for improving profit and efficiency include dealership car leasing and forming of the NADA Dealer Academy. In the mid-1980's, work with a dealership took Bert and Gladys to Clayton, California for five years. Though words like honesty and integrity are often used lightly, Bert lived them. As a leader, he led by example and didn't expect anything of anyone that he would not do himself. His greatest source of pleasure was his family. Perhaps because he was an only child, he delighted in seeing children brought into this world, first with his own nine children (five boys and four girls) and later with his 18 grandchildren and 16 great-grandchildren. He enjoyed his role as clan leader, and reveled in the boisterousness of family gatherings, proud of every member of his family. Bert passed away at the age of 95 due to old age—having worn out every bit of himself due to a full life. His passing came two months shy of his 96th birthday and one month shy of his 76th wedding anniversary. He leaves behind a faithful and loving family, including his wife, Gladys Annabel (Schlichting) Saylor, and is survived by children, Mary Margaret “Mimi” (Tom Brady [1949-2018], Bob Fenimore), William Grant “Bo” (Stephanie Fisher [1949-2016]), Jean Burnett (Jay Jones), Harold Eugene (Robin Ruff), Maurice Michael (Carlos Mendoza), Joseph Wilson (Karen Wasakoski), Ralph Fitzgerald (Missy McGuigan), and Sylvia Helen (Jim Rowbottom). He was predeceased by his parents, and his daughter, Elizabeth Ellen [1954-2015] (Ronnie Prestwich). A service will be held at 11 AM on Saturday, September 7th at Holy Redeemer Catholic Church in Delmar, Maryland. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to The Joseph House, 812 Boundary St., Salisbury, MD 21801. (Link: https://thejosephhouse.org)

Franklin Bertrue Saylor

October 3, 1928 - August 17, 2024