Richard T. Trotter, bakery owner

Richard T. Trotter, 78, of Hatfield, a bakery owner who knew every twist and turn of Philadelphia soft pretzels, and who raised 13 children and had enough energy left to coach in the Catholic Youth Organization for 20 years, died of pneumonia Sunday at Abington Memorial Hospital.

Born in Northern Liberties, he lived above his aunt's Essig's Bakery, where the aroma of the delicious pretzels wafted up from the basement oven.

Mr. Trotter was a proud 1949 graduate of Roman Catholic High School and was president of the alumni association at the time of his death.

He was drafted during the Korean War and spent a bone-chilling winter fighting with the Third Infantry Division in North Korea. Mr. Trotter was discharged in 1954 and the next year married Bernadette McCloskey, whom he had met at a dance at the old St. Boniface Church.

The couple raised 13 children in Hatfield in a four-bedroom rancher with "a dormitory in the basement," his wife said. Each child had an assigned chore, and the family ate dinner together at a long table with benches and a card table.

Mr. Trotter worked as a salesman for his late brother's shop, Thomas J. Trotter & Son, which specialized in soft pretzels until the bakery was sold in 1989.

Mr. Trotter founded Bakers Best Snack Food Corp. (now J & J Snack Foods Corp.), which made soft pretzels and sold them to arenas, stadiums and schools, and at sporting events. His children helped out on weekends and after school. He retired in 1996.

Mr. Trotter taught his children leadership through sportsmanship. Each was active in sports and Mr. Trotter found time to coach basketball and track in the Catholic Youth Organization for 20 years.

"We piled into our baby-blue Grand Torino station wagon and we never missed a game," said son Terence. "We didn't go on many vacations."

"My father was an early and fervent Phillies fan," said son Daniel. "He could still recite the 1930 Phillies' starting lineup."

In addition to his wife and sons, Mr. Trotter is survived by sons Richard, Michael and Timothy; daughters Monica Oskowitz, Bernadette Thompson, Rosemarie Kraynak, Suzanne McKeever, Joan Murphy, Maureen Gnias and Clare Trotter; 37 grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. His son Kevin died in 2006.

Friends may visit at 9:30 a.m. today at St. Maria Goretti Roman Catholic Church, 1601 Derstine Rd., Hatfield. A Funeral Mass will follow at 11 a.m. Burial will be in Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, 4001 W. Cheltenham Ave.

Memorial donations may be sent to the Richard Trotter Memorial Fund, Roman Catholic High School, 301 N. Broad St., Philadelphia 19107-1094 for the Adopt a Student Program.