Ernest Torain Sr.

Ernest Torain Sr., 80, of Harrisburg, PA, passed away of natural causes on Thursday, July 31, 2025. He was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on May 31, 1945. He was a proud alumnus of Baltimore Polytechnic Institute and the University of Maryland. Mr. Torain was an accomplished athlete, a nationally renowned high school football player who went on to become a standout running back for his beloved Maryland Terrapins. Ernest, known to family and close friends as “Chuck,” was a three-year letterman for the Terps and the team’s leading rusher in 1965. After college, Mr. Torain worked for Buxton, Inc., a personal leather goods company as a salesman and ultimately becoming a sales executive. More than anything, Mr. Torain was a family man. His wife Elaine was the love of his life. Ernest and Elaine met at the age of 15, and the two married on June 19, 1965, in Baltimore Maryland. Theirs was a blessed union that lasted for almost 59 years. In a house filled with love and laughter, Ernest and Elaine raised two sons, Ernie Jr. (Karin) and Erick (Thewantha). He was a doting grandfather to his five grandchildren. He passed along his athleticism to his sons and was the prototype for the actively involved sports parent. When his boys were young, he was often the coach. When they got older, he and Elaine were their biggest fans. He never missed a game and rarely missed a practice. Even if this meant watching Erick play a high school game in Pennsylvania on Friday night and then driving overnight to be in New Hampshire for the Saturday kickoff. Ernest and Elaine had the kind of welcoming home where their sons’ teammates and neighborhood friends would regularly gather. Ernest was a lifelong sports fan, especially dedicated to the Orioles, Ravens and Maryland Terrapins. An avid fan who would tell you the strengths and weaknesses of his favorite teams, in painstaking detail. He was a high-volume consumer of political news, always ready with a strongly held opinion on the topics of the day. He was preceded in death by his beloved wife Elaine who passed away on March 16, 2024, at the age of 78; his youngest son Erick who passed away on July 30, 2024, at the age of 55; and his mother, Ida Mae Hopkins. Mr. Torain is survived by his three siblings, Mitchell, Valerie (Myron) and Wanda Hopkins, all Baltimore area residents; his sister-in-law, Rev. Dr. Novella Crudup of Capitol Heights, Maryland; son, Ernest Torain Jr. (Karin) of Evanston, Illinois; daughter-in-law, Thewantha Torain of Swedesboro, New Jersey; granddaughter, Nadia Shirk (Toren) of Missoula, Montana; granddaughter, Peyton Torain of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; grandson, Ernest Torain III, Boston, Massachusetts; granddaughter, Kennedy Torain, New York City, New York; and grandson, Ethan Torain, Evanston, Illinois. He also leaves a host of nieces and nephews who loved him very much. Interment will be held at King Memorial Park, 8710 Dogwood Road, Baltimore, MD 21244. FAMILY AND FRIENDS ARE ENCOURAGED TO CLICK ON THE SHARE A MEMORY TAB TO POST VIDEOS, SHARE MEMORIES, CONDOLENCES, REFLECTIONS OR SIMPLY LEAVE YOUR NAME.

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Ernest Torain Sr.

May 31, 1945 - July 31, 2025