Robert Cece

On August 27, 2015, Coach Bob Cece passed peacefully from this world from natural causes while at his home. A lifelong resident of Livingston, Bob played varisty football and baseball before graduating LHS in 1966. In 1970, as a graduate of Montclair State, where he served as the president of Tau Lambda Beta, Bob began his lifelong dedication to the Livingston School system and its student athletes. Bob taught Industrial Arts and Technology for 36 years before health issues forced him to retire. During his entire teaching tenure and continuing until his death, Bob has coached Livingston students. Starting with boy’s soccer at Heritge Middle School and boy’s lacrosse at LHS, then assistant softball coach at Heritage Middle School, and head girl’s volleyball coach at LHS from 1985-1997, where in his 2nd year of coaching the Lancer team began it’s “winning season” streak, which is still ongoing. Bob was a CAP Level II coach with an article “Designing Volleyball Drills” published in Coaching Volleyball Magazine and had earned a USA referee badge. Since 1998, when serious back injuries and multiple sclerosis left him disabled, Bob has served as voluteer assistant girl’s volleyball coach AND volunteer assistant boy’s volleyball coach at LHS. Between 2004 and 2011 Bob was the recipient of 5 state and regional “Coach of the Year” awards, and in 2013 was inducted into the LHS Hall of Fame. Together with his dear friend, Head Coach Al Partelow, they amassed this impressive record: 2 state Girls Championships 2004 and 2011, 3 state sectional girls’ titles, 5 Essex County titles and at least 10 Conference titles. They were named State Co-coaches of the year in 2004 by the Star Ledger and also named county co-coaches twice. For the Boys program they have won 1 state sectional title, 6 Essex County Titles, and 8 conference titles. Together they have over 300+ boys’ wins and 300+ girls wins

The seventh of eight children born to Alphonse and Jennie Cece, Bob was predeceased by both of his parents and is survived by his seven heartbroken siblings, John and Mary Cece, James Cece and Carol DeAngelis, Jane and Herb Briscoe, Antoinette “Toni” and Michael Koenig, Dorothy Cece LaPosa, Al and Barbara Cece, William and Vickie Cece, 20 nieces and nephews, many grandnieces and grandnephews, and scores of excellent volleyball players.

Funeral arrangements are being handled by Quinn-Hopping Funeral Home, 145 E. Mt. Pleasant Ave., Livingston with visitation from 3 – 8 pm, and will include a wake service at 7 pm on Wednesday, September 2, 2015. A funeral service will be held at 10:30 a.m. on Thursday, September 3, at Quinn-Hopping, followed by interment at Gate of Heaven Cemetary, 225 Ridgedale Ave., East Hanover .

In lieu of flowers, Bob would have requested donations to The Livingston Volleyball Parents Association, PO Box 2163, Livingston, NJ 07039, or to the National MS Society, PO Box 4527, New York, NY 10163 (www.nationalmssociety.org)