1

AMHERST - Robert A. "Bob" Pickett, 77, former University of Massachusetts football coach, administrator and broadcaster, died Tuesday, Feb. 3, 2010, at the Halifax Health Medical Center in Daytona Beach, Fla., from injuries he sustained after being struck by a vehicle while walking.

Bob was born in Bangor, Maine, the son of Arthur and Gertrude Rice Pickett. He attended schools in Augusta, Maine, graduating from Cony High School's Class of 1952. He also attended Maine Central Institute in 1953. He served with the U.S. Army from 1954 to 1956 in Europe. Bob then returned to graduate from the University of Maine, Orono, in 1959.

Bob began his sterling career as a coach, which took him to Laconia (N.H.) High School in 1959 with a state championship that year, and again were state champions in 1961. He would once again take Portsmouth (N.H.) High School as head coach to state champions in 1962 and 1964.

Bob was named New Hampshire coach of the year in 1961, 1962 and 1964.

Coach Pickett also won four Yankee Conference championships and compiled a 36-28 record in six seasons as the UMass head coach from 1978 to 1983. He led the Minutemen to their first ever Division I-AA National Championship Pioneer Bowl title game in 1978. UMass lost to Florida A&M 35-28, but Bob was honored as coach of the year by the Eastern College Athletic Conference. The team also won the prestigious Lambert Cup for being the top football team in the East.

After he finished coaching, Coach Pickett worked as an associate athletic director at UMass until he retired in 1997. He was then a color commentator on radio coverage of UMass football games from 1998 to 2003. Even after retiring from that radio job, he was still a regular at UMass home games.

Bob was named coach of the year several times by different organizations, most prominently in 1979 from the New York Football Writers, and has been inducted into the Football Halls of Fame in New England. He is published and part of many committees and associations where he has been president and chairman. He was the current president of the Maine Sports Hall of Fame, and was past president of Grid Iron Club of Greater Boston. Bob was a communicant of St. Pius X Catholic Church.

Besides his loving wife, Sylvia (Amadei) Pickett, of Portland, Maine, he leaves three daughters, Robin and her husband, Bill Podolak, of Littleton, N.H., Deborah Pickett of Marlborough, and Judith Pickett and Jerrard Whitten of Newburyport; three grandchildren, Paul, Alyssa and Jessica; and several nieces and nephews.

Relatives and friends are invited to attend a time of visitation on Thursday, Feb. 11, from 4 to 8 p.m. at Jones, Rich & Hutchins Funeral Home, 199 Woodford St., Portland, Maine. Prayers will be recited at the funeral home on Friday, Feb. 12, at 9:15 a.m., to be followed by a Mass of Christian Burial at 10 a.m. at St. Pius X Catholic Church, Ocean Avenue, Portland. Interment will follow in New Calvary Cemetery, South Portland. You are invited to share your thoughts, condolences and fond memories with the Pickett family by visiting Bob's guest book at www.mem.com.

In lieu of flowers, the Pickett family requests that contributions be made to a scholarship fund they are establishing at UMass. Contributions can be made to Coach Bob Pickett Football Scholarship Fund, care of University of Massachusetts, 308 Mullins Center, Amherst, MA 01003 or telephone (413) 577-4290.