Deaths elsewhere

Edward Brennan, 73, who started as a sales associate at a Sears store in Wisconsin and rose to become chairman and CEO of Sears, Roebuck and Co. in the mid-1980s, died Thursday at his home in Burr Ridge, Ill.

"We were saddened today to learn of the passing of Sears' former Chairman and CEO Edward Brennan," Sears spokeswoman Kim Freely said. "Our thoughts and prayers are with the entire Brennan family during this difficult time."

Brennan also served as board chairman at American Airlines parent AMR Corp. when previous Chairman Donald Carty was forced out.

The Chicago native served on a variety of boards, including McDonald's Corp., 3M Corp. and Exelon Corp.

Brennan retired from Sears and its board of directors on Aug. 9, 1995.

In January 1981 he was elected chairman and chief executive officer of the company's retail group and helped handle the acquisition of Dean Witter Reynolds, Inc. and Coldwell, Banker & Company. From 1984 to 1986 Brennan was corporate president and chief operating officer.

In 1986 he became chairman of the board and chief executive officer. The company that year began its Discover Card, claiming 12 million holders by year's end.

Armour joined the Chicago Tribune in 1980 as a copy clerk. He covered the Chicago Bulls for the paper from 1995 to 1999 before becoming an entertainment columnist, according to a biography on the Tribune's website.

Armour also was a sportswriter at the Tribune Co.-owned Daily Press in Newport News, Va., from 1988 to 1991.

"Terry made it look easy because he loved his work, but all of us who knew him realized that he worked hard for that success," Randall Weissman, a Tribune deputy managing editor, said in an e-mail to staff members. "In addition to his professionalism, Terry brought laughter and an infectious enthusiasm to the newsroom. His loss will be felt deeply by all of us."

Armour also had been a host of a midday radio show on the former WCKG-FM.