Obituary of Robert H. "Bob" Melanson, Sr

Longtime Educator, Referee, and Hockey Commissioner, Robert "Bob" Melanson dies at 88 Robert H. “Bob” Melanson, Sr., of Peabody, retired teacher and hockey coach at Lynn Classical High School, former hockey referee, former Commissioner of both the Commonwealth League and Northeastern Conference, and a member of the Massachusetts State Hockey Coaches Hall of Fame, died on March 11. He was 88. In addition to serving as a hockey commissioner and referee, Mr. Melanson coached hockey at Lynn Classical from 1970 to 1975, and he was an educator in the Lynn School System from 1958 to 1996. He served also as a member of the National Ice Hockey Officials Association (NIHOA) for over four decades and as a local officer for over three decades. Bob Melanson was born in Lynn in 1932, the son of Hugh and Mary “Molly” Crowley Melanson, and he graduated from St. Mary’s High School in 1950. He received his bachelor’s degree from Boston College in 1954, where he played for the Boston College Eagles hockey team, and he earned a master’s degree from Salem State University. In over half a century of hockey in Massachusetts, Mr. Melanson was not only inducted into the Hall of Fame, he received other hockey honors, including the Sportsmanship Award from the Northeastern Conference Athletics Directors and Administrators in 2005. Outside the classroom and the rink, he was active in the community, including his service for over 50 years as an usher at St. Ann’s Church in Peabody and spending summers guiding the youth of Greater Boston as a counselor and bus driver for the Lynn Boys Club’s Camp Creighton in Middleton and Camp Christopher at the St. John’s Preparatory School. Mr. Melanson is survived by his wife of 57 years, Joan Horrigan Melanson of Peabody, a son, Robert Melanson Jr., also of Peabody, a daughter, Laura Melanson Smullen of North Port, Florida, a brother-in-law, Captain David Horrigan Jr. (Ret.) of Arlington, Tex. and his five children and their families, three grandchildren, Kaylin Ramos of Punta Gorda, Florida, Christina Smullen and Kylie Smullen, both of North Port, Florida, two great-grandchildren, Joseph and Robert Gentry, and his goddaughter, Ellen Wythe Horrigan, and her husband, David Horrigan III of Nahant. Visitation will be Thursday, March 18, from 4:00 PM to 7:00 PM, and services Friday, March 19, at 11:00 AM, with Father David Lewis, presiding, at the Conway Cahill-Brodeur Funeral Home, 82 Lynn St, Peabody. Burial will be at St. Mary’s Cemetery, Salem. All attendees are required to wear facial coverings and maintain social distancing as well.