George J. ‘Buddy’ Pellerin, 77

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — George J. "Buddy" Pellerin died peacefully on Monday, July 4, at home surrounded by his loving family. 

Born to the late George J. Sr. and Mary Tobin Pellerin in Pittsfield on January 9, 1939, he graduated from St. Joseph's High School in 1957, where he achieved All Berkshire Baseball Player status. A graduate of then-North Adams State College in 1962, he was called upon by the college to serve as player-coach his senior year, launching a 50-plus-year career of championship coaching at all three of the city's high schools in multiple sports, including baseball, softball and football. 

While he was best known for his legendary coaching style that yielded countless come-from-behind victories, his impact was also significant in the classrooms of Pittsfield High School, where he spent nearly four decades motivating and educating students. 

His imprint and achievements in youth sports are chronicled from 1959-2012 and include:

• 1959-1962: Coach Babe Ruth Youth Team (State Championship) 

• 1964-1982: Coach Pittsfield High School Baseball Varsity Team (1966 Massachusetts Division I Baseball Championship; 1972 and 1974 - Massachusetts State baseball finals) 

• 1971: National Area 1 Coach of the Year 

• 1986-1987: Massachusetts Coach Hall of Fame Inductee 

• Member of the UNICO Baseball Hall of Fame 

• Member of the Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts Hall of Fame 

• 1996-2000: Coach Pittsfield High School Girls varsity softball team (3 state finals); Coach St. Joseph High School Girls Softball Team; Volunteer Coach for Taconic High School Girls Softball Team (1 state final) 

• 1997-2000: Pittsfield High School Athletic Director 

• Coached Varsity football at all three of the City's high schools (Pittsfield High School, Taconic High School and St. Joseph High School). Also coached football at Cranwell Prep School 

• 2000: Retirement from Pittsfield School Department after 38 years of service 

• Post retirement volunteered as Little League coach (5 years) and Babe Ruth All Stars team (many years) 

• 2003: Dan Duquette, General Manager of the Baltimore Orioles and former General Manager of the Montreal Expos and Boston Red Sox, appointed Coach Pellerin to establish the Dan Duquette Sports Academy inaugural youth baseball programs in the Berkshires. 

• 2010: Coach Pellerin was named Assistant Coach of the Pittsfield Colonials, a baseball team in the independent Canadian-American Association of Professional Baseball. 

• 2012: Assistant Coach Babe Ruth All Star Team (State and Regional championship titles and competed in Babe Ruth World Series in Arkansas) 

• Coach Pellerin ran summer baseball camps at the Boys and Girls Club of Pittsfield for 15 years with Tom Mooney, now a Major League Baseball scout who signed Ken Griffey Jr. 

• Founder and coach of "Rip City Training Center" for softball and baseball in Pittsfield. Rip City granted numerous scholarships to youth for training at the center. Rip City graduates continued in High school, college and professional careers 

The magnitude of Coach Pellerin's accomplishments on the playing field cut across generations throughout his five decades of coaching and resulted in inductions into the Hall of Fame at the local and state levels, regional championships and the famed 1966 State Championship. His life's proudest role, however, was as a devoted husband, father and grandfather.

In 1961, he married his high school sweetheart, Anne Matthews, who served as his tireless and dedicated caregiver throughout his long and difficult illness. He is also survived by their six daughters and sons-in-law: Audrey and Thomas Feely of Media, Pa., Paula Pellerin of Pittsfield, Christine Pellerin and Jay Ryan of Bethesda, Md., Andrea and Scott Knapp of Seattle, Renee and Rick Robbins of Pittsfield, Julianne and Mauricio Herrera of Pittsfield; 12 grandchildren, Kayla Donati, Kevin Donati, TJ Feely, Keenan Feely, Jack Ryan, Matthew Ryan, Emily Ryan, Murphy Knapp, Randi Robbins, Ryan Robbins, Sebastian Herrera and Mateo Herrera. 

Throughout their 55 years of marriage, Buddy and Anne enjoyed watching their grandchildren play the sport he loved and traveling to visit them. 

In addition, he is survived by his sister, Mary Kay Kasuba of Pittsfield; brother David Pellerin, of Richardson, Texas; brothers-in-law Paul Matthews and Mark Matthews and his wife Marie all of Pittsfield; and numerous nieces and nephews.

Funeral notice: A Liturgy of Christian Burial for George J. "Buddy" Pellerin, who passed away on July 4, 2016, will be held Friday at noon at St. Charles Church in Pittsfield celebrated by the Rev. Peter Gregory, pastor. Burial will follow in St. Joseph Cemetery. 

Calling hours will be held Thursday from 4 to 7 p.m. at the Dery Funeral Home, 54 Bradford St., Pittsfield.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests your consideration of donations to the Buddy Pellerin Field at Clapp Park in care of the Dery Funeral Home. The Pellerin family would like to thank Dr. Christopher Trancynger, Dr. Artsiom Tsyrkunou and Dr. Michael DeLeo for their superior care over the years. In addition, many thanks to Ray Webb, R.N. for his tremendous support to Anne. Lastly, the family extends thanks to the VNA of the Berkshires and HospiceCare in The Berkshires for their special efforts over the past few weeks, especially Tabitha Walker and Linda Barnes.