The North Shore hockey community said goodbye to a true legend late last week, as Robert H. “Bob” Melanson, Sr., of Peabody, died March 11 at age 88. A retired teacher and hockey coach at Lynn Classical, 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, Melanson leaves behind a legacy that extends far beyond the rink.
“Bob was just a great person, and I’ve always had the utmost respect for him,” said Dick Baker, the former longtime Swampscott athletic director who spent plenty of time working with Melanson in his capacity as Treasurer Secretary of the NEC and the Cape Ann League. “His concern was always for the student-athletes and what would be best for them.”
“I can’t say enough good things about Bob Melanson,” said Classical Athletic Director Bill Devin, who had Melanson as a teacher when he was a student at Classical. “He loved the sport of hockey, he loved Lynn Classical and he was a class act.”
“He was a true gentleman and a kind, good man,” said former Item sports editor Paul Halloran, who remembered that Melanson used to pop into his office from time to time. “He treated everyone with respect, from the players to the coaches to the officials to the media. He had an incredible career doing so many different things, and he’ll be greatly missed.”
In addition to serving as a hockey commissioner and referee, Melanson coached hockey at Classical from 1970 to 1975 and 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 more than four decades and as a local officer for more than 30 years.
“It’s funny, I was just telling someone the other day that Mr. Melanson was a referee when I played hockey at St. Mary’s, and I spent plenty of time in the penalty box because of him,” said English vice principal Gary Molea, who dealt with Melanson while working as English’s athletic director. “He was tremendous at everything he did for the sport, and he just had a true love of the game.”
Melanson was born in Lynn in 1932, the son of Hugh and Mary “Molly” Crowley Melanson, and graduated from St. Mary’s in 1950. He received his bachelor’s degree from Boston College in 1954, where he played for the Eagles hockey team, and he earned a master’s degree from Salem State University.
Over more than half a century of hockey in Massachusetts, Melanson was not only inducted into the Hall of Fame, but he received other hockey honors including the Sportsmanship Award from the Northeastern Conference Athletics Directors and Administrators in 2005.
“The bottom line is that we need more Mr. Melansons,” said Molea. “He was an incredible advocate for the sport, and I wish he was still around to help us make sure the hockey culture in this city remained strong.”
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 St. John’s Prep. Not to mention, he was a lifelong supporter of Classical athletics.
“Up until as recently as last year, Bob would go to all the Classical football games and I’d see him at Classical baseball games as well,” said Devin. “He never stopped giving back and he always loved and supported Classical.”
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.
