Robert Browning Trainer

1918 - 2013

Trainer, Robert Browning Age 95, passed away peacefully on December 23, 2013 in Houston, Texas surrounded by members of his family. Robert (Bob) was born in New York City on May 15th, 1918 to John Newlin and Caroline Okie Browning Trainer. He attended Allen-Stephenson School in New York and was a graduate of Phillips Exeter Academy (1934), Harvard College (1938), and Harvard Law School (1941). Bob joined the Navy in 1938 having completed the ROTC program at Harvard. On July 10, 1941, he married Mary (Polly) Ilsley Uihlein from Milwaukee. Bob went to sea in 1941 and served throughout the war on the USS Denebola in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans and in the Mediterranean, rising to the rank of Lt. Commander and Executive Officer of the Denebola. After the War, Bob worked for White and Case, a law firm in New York. In 1948, Polly and Bob moved to Milwaukee where Bob joined the Joseph Schlitz Brewing Company, where he worked until his retirement in 1978 with the title, Senior Vice President. After Polly's death, he married Shirin Devrim in 1973, a well-known Turkish actress who taught at UWM, Carnegie Mellon and Stanford University and acted in repertory theaters throughout the U.S. and Turkey. They lived happily in New York City for 30 years until her death in 2011, after which Bob moved to Houston to be closer to family. Bob served for many years on community boards in Milwaukee. He was President of the Blood Center and Board member of Columbia Hospital, Milwaukee Downer College, First Wisconsin National Bank (now US Bank) and Schlitz. He also served on the boards of Cruz del Campo Brewery in Seville, Spain, Robert College in Istanbul, McCarter Theater in Princeton, NJ and was on the Advisory Council of the Near Eastern Department of Princeton University. Bob had a keen mind, was an avid reader and world traveler. In his early years he loved tennis and hunting, but most of all, he enjoyed discussing politics and world affairs with his family and friends. He was thoughtful and generous, an old-fashioned Yankee and always a gentleman. Bob is survived by his three sons, Robert Trainer Jr. (Mary), Charles Trainer (Anne Booth), Steve Trainer (Tricia) and his eight grandchildren, Molly Trainer (Javier Arreola), Julia Trainer, Robert Trainer III (Carrie), Caroline Trainer Frantz (Ed), Kit Trainer, Amy Trainer, Sarah Trainer and Christina Trainer Leber (Todd). Bob had eight great-grandchildren. The family would especially like to thank Ibrahim Gul, Bob's loyal caregiver, companion and friend for the past several years. The family is also grateful to Dr. Bruce Wilson for his medical advice, wisdom and guidance. Bob will be missed by his family and friends. A private memorial service will be held at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to the Milwaukee Repertory Theater or the BloodCenter of Wisconsin.