Robert F. Eisele, 88, executive

Robert F. Eisele, 88, of Churchville, a former Philadelphia and New York advertising executive, died Saturday, March 22, of lymphoma at St. Mary Medical Center, Langhorne.

Mr. Eisele worked in industrial advertising for many years, starting with Disston Saw Works in Philadelphia. After a brief period spent as a copywriter for the Evening Bulletin and the ad agency Erwin, Wasey, Ruthrauff & Ryan, he became an ad manager for several Philadelphia industrial corporations.

Later, Mr. Eisele commuted from his home in Glenside to FMC Corp., a chemical pump maker with New York offices. His final job was as advertising manager for Yarway Corp., an industrial instrument maker in Blue Bell. He retired in 1989.

Born in Philadelphia, he graduated from Central High School in 1944, and in 1949 from the University of Pennsylvania's Wharton School with a bachelor of science degree in economics.

While at Penn, he met, and later married, Camillus Kenahan, a microbiology major from Sugar Notch, Pa. The couple were married for 63 years.

Mr. Eisele lived in many places, including Philadelphia and Riverton, a few blocks from the Delaware River. In his spare time, he maintained the family's Victorian home in Riverton. He moved to Glenside in 1971 and Churchville in 1979.

He owned a classic Chesapeake Bay Skipjack, which he moored on the Sassafras River in Maryland, and on which he and his family spent many weekends.

In person, he was "polite and lightly humorous, always a gentleman," his daughter, Frances Bradley, said.

Shortly after Mr. Eisele developed health problems in 1989, his daughter and her family moved to his home in Churchville to help. He was able to stay engaged in local government in Bucks County, and to serve as secretary of the Northampton Historical Commission.

Besides his wife and daughter, he is survived by a son, Robert J., and three grandchildren. Another son, Andrew, died in 1979.

There will be an open house for friends and family from 1 to 6 p.m. Saturday, March 29, at his home.

Donations may go to the Andrew Eisele Memorial Scholarship to support the college dreams of an athlete. The address is Abington High School Scholarship and Awards Committee, Abington School District, 970 Highland Ave., Abington, Pa. 19001.