Robert E. Mairs, 79, of Milford, died Sun., April 3, at his residence after a battle with cancer. He was the husband of Marion C. (Brooke) Mairs. 

He was born in the Bronx, N.Y., son of the late William Norton Mairs and Norre (O’Brien) Mairs. He graduated from Cardinal Hayes High School, Bronx, in 1948 and from St. John’s University in 1958, where he received a degree in labor relations. He also attended Long Island University's masters program. He lived in Kew Gardens, N.Y., before moving to Milford in 1968. He was a Marine Corps veteran, serving from 1948 to 1952, during the Korean Conflict. 

Mr. Mairs first worked in New York City for the Realty Advisory Board on Labor Relations as personnel director. He then was director of personnel/labor relations at ITT Continental Baking Company in Natick before becoming director of labor relations at the Revere Sugar Refinery in Charlestown. Lastly, he was division director of labor relations for Raytheon Corporation in Andover. He also served as a professor in the Human Resource Program at Northeastern University for 30 years. 

He was a member of the Knights of Columbus while living in New York; a former member of the Personnel Board for the Town of Milford; and a volunteer coach for the Milford Little League Baseball Association. A longtime communicant of St. Mary’s Church, he had volunteered for many years as a lector and was a member of its Eccumenical/Covenant Council. 

Besides his wife of 50 years, he leaves his four children, Robert Mairs Jr. and his wife, Sharon, of Salem, N.H., Kevin Mairs and his wife, Cynthia, of Morristown, N.J., Norre Corsini and her husband, Mark, of Milford and Thomas Mairs and his wife, Elizabeth, of Uxbridge; 12 grandchildren, April and James Desroche, Rob Mairs, Brendan and Bridget Mairs, Sarah, Daniel, Allison and Lauren Corsini, Kyla Burch, Ethan, Alexander and Sean Mairs; a great-grandchild, Aiden Desroche; a brother, William Mairs of Seminole, Fla.; two sisters-in-law, Alicia Carew of Fairfield, Conn., and Jacqueline Farley and her husband, John, of Exton, Penn.; and many nieces and nephews. 

His funeral, with Military Honors, will be held Thurs., April 7, at 9 a.m. from the Edwards Memorial Funeral Home, 44 Congress St., followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. in St. Mary of the Assumption Church, 19 Winter St. Burial will follow in St. Mary’s Cemetery. Visiting hours will be Wed., April 6, from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to The Pan-Massachusetts Challenge, Team Charles River Medical Associates online at www.pmc.org; or by mail at Pan-Massachusetts Challenge, 77 4th Ave., Needham, MA 02494 (make checks payable to PMC).