John E. Canniff Jr.

ROCKPORT — John "Jack" Edward Canniff Jr., 77, of Rockport and Granby, beloved husband of Sandra (Larivee) Canniff, died Saturday morning, Aug. 29, 2009 at Kaplan House, Danvers, surrounded by his wife of 46 years, and his two daughters, Erin Canniff of Rockport, and Kelly Hellstein of Feeding Hills.

Born in Cambridge, Oct. 20, 1931, he was the son of the late Ann (Thompson) and John E. Canniff, and graduated from Arlington High School, New Preparatory School and Boston College. An accomplished athlete, with baseball his strongest sport, Jack was drafted out of high school by the Brooklyn Dodgers, but he decided instead to play hockey - his passion - under his mentor, John "Snooks" Kelley.

After college, Jack was drafted into the Army, where he was assigned unique military duties: while stationed in Germany, he was assigned to umpire baseball; he was later sent to Colorado Springs for the Olympic Hockey Trials.

In 1956, Jack's first job out of the military was at Gloucester High School, where for the next 11 years, he coached hockey and football and taught algebra. It was on Cape Ann that he fell in love with the landscape, the people, and Sandra Larivee, the woman he married in 1963. It bordered on remarkable that he was able, even after a massive stroke in 1997, to recall each and every one of his students from those days, and he always held an abiding interest in their lives.

In 1967, he accepted the post as head hockey coach at UMass, Amherst, where he worked until 1983. He was named the "Edward Jeremiah" Coach of the Year when his UMass team won the National Division Two title in 1972.

He later taught algebra at South Hadley High School until his retirement.

He was inducted into the UMass Hall of Fame in October, 2009, and was earlier made a member of the Gloucester Sports Hall of Fame.

Jack loved his family and his friends, and was an avid sports fan of his daughters and granddaughters. Despite his debilitating stroke and the cancer that finally claimed him, Jack remained interested and involved in the lives of a great number of people. His undaunted courage and fighting Irish spirit served, until the end, as a role model for those who knew and loved him.

In addition to his wife, he is survived by his two daughters, Kelly, and her children, Hannah and Riley Hellstein of Feeding Hills, and Erin and her partner Janet Dickinson of Rockport; his sister, Janice Monteith of Woburn; nieces, Katie Bunker of West Roxbury, and Nancy Costello of Osterville; a nephew, Jack Monteith of Winchester; two brothers-in-law, Mike Larivee, husband of Diane, and Dan Larivee, husband of Kelly, both of California, their children, and his beloved dog Maggie.

In addition to his parents, Jack was predeceased by his favorite companion dogs, Noodles, Pepper and Zeke.

ARRANGEMENTS: According to Jack's wishes, his ashes will be scattered at sea. A celebration of his life will take place at the Gloucester Elks-Bass Rocks, 101 Atlantic Road on Sunday, Oct. 4 at 2 p.m. Donations in his name can be made to Hospice of the North Shore, 78 Liberty St., Danvers, MA 01923 or to the Gloucester Fisherman Athletic Association, P.O. Box 3010, Gloucester, MA 01930.