Frank LeMaster, retired Eagles linebacker and longtime businessman, has died at 71

Frank LeMaster, 71, of Birchrunville, Chester County, a popular and hard-hitting linebacker for the Eagles from 1974 to 1982 and longtime businessman, died Friday, March 24, at Eagleview Landing assisted care center in Exton.

The cause of his death has not been determined, his family said. He underwent heart valve replacement in 2017 and was being treated for dementia.

A rugged 6-foot-2, 232-pound linebacker, Mr. LeMaster played all nine of his NFL seasons with the Eagles, and his bruising, relentless defense helped the team go from last place in 1975 to Super Bowl XV in 1981. He was selected by coaches and fellow players to appear in the Pro Bowl all-star game after the 1981 season, and he finished his career with 14½ sacks, 10 interceptions, seven fumble recoveries, and two touchdowns.

Mr. LeMaster was durable as well as impactful and, wearing No. 55, played in 136 straight games from 1974 to 1982. Celebrated for his crunching tackles, he shrugged off countless concussions and injuries to his shoulders, hips, and knees to lead the Eagles in tackles in four of his nine seasons.

In an online tribute, the Eagles said Mr. LeMaster “put 110 percent of himself into the Philadelphia Eagles, and the Eagles became champions during his illustrious career. He left no doubt that he was a winner, both on the field and off.” Former teammate Ron Jaworski tweeted that Mr. LeMaster was “a great teammate and better friend.”

In 2008, Mr. LeMaster told the Daily News: “Being a part of a winning tradition is my fondest memory. … It was a rewarding experience for me, coming out of those years, just to be a part of something so special.”

Affable and articulate, Mr. LeMaster was quoted often in The Inquirer, Daily News, and elsewhere during his career. He even wrote a weekly football column that appeared in several local newspapers in 1979.

He benefited from the intensity and cutting-edge film study that new coach Dick Vermeil brought to the Eagles in 1976 and told the Daily News in 2005 that “the most exciting time of my life” was beating the Dallas Cowboys in the 1980 NFC championship game at Veterans Stadium to advance to the Super Bowl against the Oakland Raiders.

“The thing I remember most about walking onto the field that day is I absolutely had no feeling in my legs,” he said. “That’s how excited I was.”

Off the field, Mr. LeMaster was regional sales manager for FieldTurf Inc. from 2001 until his retirement three years ago. He had previously worked for Enron Energy Services and other businesses in the Philadelphia area.

“The work ethic, determination, and grit he was renowned for on the gridiron were exemplified during his time at FieldTurf,” company officials said in an online tribute.

He was also active with many charities and social organizations as a player, and represented the Eagles in a 1982 TV commercial for United Way. “There’s not too many heroes around now for kids to look up to,” he told the Daily News then. “It’s important that they have some kind of role model. I believe a professional athlete should offer leadership in his community.”

Frank Preston LeMaster was born March 12, 1952, in Nonesuch, Ky., about 19 miles southwest of Lexington. He worked with his father at Spendthrift Farm as a boy, hunted and fished, and later shared many sentimental stories of his youth with family and friends.

He earned a bachelor’s degree in education at the University of Kentucky, played on the freshman basketball team, and was captain of the football team in 1974. He played in two college all-star games as a senior and was taken by the Eagles in the fourth round of the 1974 NFL draft.

He married Theresa Brunner, and they had sons Justin and Brennan. After a divorce, he married Sandra Richardson, and they had son Alexander. They divorced, and he met Marylou Robinson through friends. They married in 2009, and he welcomed her daughter, son-in-law, and grandchildren into the family.

“He was outgoing, personable, and smart,” his wife said. “I never saw him play, so I loved the man, not the football player.”

Mr. LeMaster followed current events closely and enjoyed hunting, camping, skiing, and whitewater rafting with family and friends. He and his wife traveled to Europe, Africa, Canada, and elsewhere.

He was inducted into the Kentucky Pro Football Hall of Fame in 2007, Kentucky High School Hall of Fame in 2009, and Chester County Sports Hall of Fame in 2011. He donated his brain to Boston University’s brain degeneration research project.

“He loved the Eagles and their fans,” said Steve Levy, a friend and longtime local TV broadcaster. “He stayed here because of the way they loved him back so warmly. The world has lost a sweet soul.”

His son Brennan said: “He gave 110% at everything he did in life.” His son Justin said: “He was my superman.”

In addition to his wife, sons, and former wives, Mr. LeMaster is survived by two grandsons, a brother, and other relatives.

A memorial service is to be held at 11 a.m. Thursday, April 13, at St. Matthew’s Lutheran Church, 2440 Conestoga Rd., Chester Springs, Pa. 19425.

Donations in his name may be made to Boston University’s brain research fund, 595 Commonwealth Ave., Suite 700, Boston, Mass. 02215, and the Amy Vermeil biochemical genetics research fund, c/o Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia Foundation, PO Box 781352, Philadelphia, Pa. 19178.