Roger F. Cirone

Roger F. Cirone 1938 - 2008 WILLIAMSTOWN Roger Francis Cirone, 70, of 25 Frenier Drive died Monday, Oct. 27, 2008. Born in North Adams on Oct. 10, 1938, a son of Dominick and Margaret Zocchi Cirone, he attended schools in North Adams and graduated from Drury High School with the class of 1957. He received his bachelor of arts degree from Brown University in 1961 as a history major and was a member of the football team for four years. He was named to the All Brown University Football defensive team of the 1960-1969 decade by the Brown Herald, the official university newspaper. He was also the leading scorer during the 1959 season and played a key role in the Brown victory over Harvard in 1959. Mr. Cirone obtained his master's degree in Education from the former North Adams State College, now MCLA, in 1969. He took additional courses in education at Syracuse University, State University of New York and Harvard University and participated in the John Hay Fellowship Program at Williams College. He was an Army veteran of from 1961 to 1963 and was a member of the National Guard from 1963 to 1965. He began teaching biology and chemistry at Drury High School in 1963 and continued his teaching career in social studies until 1976. From 1976 to 1977, his served as assistant principal at Drury High School and from 1977 to 1999, he served as principal at Drury. He was the recipient of the Peacemaker award in February 1998 for his efforts in helping Drury address issues of diversity and tolerance within the school. At Drury he was the Junior Varsity baseball coach for three years and assistant football coach under Dan Rorke and Joe Llodra. He was the head football coach from 1967 to 1977 and was the recipient of WBEC Sports Caravan Coach of the Year award in 1970. He was a communicant of St. Patrick & Raphael Parish in Williamstown and was a past member of St. Patrick's Parish Council. He served on the Advisory Committee for the James & Robert Hardman Fund for North Adams and a member of the Williamstown Municipal Scholarship Committee. He coached Williamstown Little League and Babe Ruth Baseball. He volunteered at the Milne Public Library and was a member of the William College Sideline Quarterback Club. He was an avid golfer at Waubeeka Golf Links. He leaves his wife, Barbara Trabold Cirone, whom he married July 2, 1966 at St. Francis Church in North Adams; three children, John Cirone of Seattle, Wash., and his life partner, David Brannon; Matt Cirone of Cincinnati and his wife, Kristin Cirone, and David Cirone of South Hadley and his wife, Leslie Cirone; six grandchildren, Mia Brannon-Cirone, Ella Brannon Cirone, Kaia Cirone, Tyler Cirone, Nicholas Cirone and Nathan Cirone, and a sister, Patricia Cirone of Seattle. He was predeceased by a brother, Joseph Cirone, who died in 1959. FUNERAL NOTICE: A Liturgy of Christian Burial will be celebrated Thursday at 11 a.m. at St. Patrick's Church, Williamstown. Burial will be private in the family plot in Southview Cemetery. Calling hours at the FLYNN & DAGNOLI - MONTAGNA Home for Funerals, WEST CHAPELs, 521 West Main St., will be Wednesday from 4 to 7 p.m. In lieu of flowers, memorial donations are suggested for the St. Patrick's Food Pantry through the funeral home.