Robert H. French's Obituary
Robert H. French, age 90, of Andover, died peacefully on June 25th, 2022 at Lawrence General Hospital with his family at his side.
Robert was born and raised in Lawrence, son of the late Robert and Margaret (Scanlon) French on April 21st, 1932. Known to friends as Bob, he spent his youth in the Prospect Hill neighborhood of Lawrence, attending the Rollins Elementary school before graduating from Central Catholic High School. Bob graduated from Merrimack College and was a member of their first collegiate basketball team in 1950. An early adopter of computer technology, he attended the Bryant and Stratton Computer Institute and then Boston University for graduate level courses in computer science and mathematics. He began his career in computer technology when a hiring manager for AVCO Corporation noticed his basketball skills at the Lawrence YMCA and offered him a job in the mathematic section where he could also play for the company sponsored basketball team. He later joined Ford Aerospace at MIT Lincoln Laboratory in Lexington, MA, as a senior computer programmer. Rising to the head of the department, he led a team developing software for national security purposes including analyzing trajectory signal data, as well as air traffic control, laser, and radar research projects while at Lincoln Laboratory.
Bob had a lifelong passion for basketball. When he moved to Andover in 1968, he volunteered with the Andover Church Basketball League (ACBL) at St. Robert’s Parish and became president of the league from 1978 to 2007. Under his leadership, the league tripled in size, earning him the nickname Bob “Basketball” French. With the ACBL, he was involved with every aspect of running the league from player registration to distributing trophies. Besides the managerial duties, he often filled in as score keeper and assisted in writing accounts of the games for the Andover Townsman. In 1979, he created a separate girls division which helped girls’ basketball flourish in the town of Andover. Many of the ACBL girl’s alumni went on to play on the Andover High School team. He loved discovering and fostering basketball talent at every level. His biggest reward for all the volunteer hours he put in came from seeing the smile on a player’s face when they scored their first basket, or when a team that had not won a game all season finally gained a victory.
Mr. French received many honors for his dedication to community service, including the Andover Chamber of Commerce Community Service award and the Virginia Cole award for outstanding contributions. Bob was a member of the Board of Directors at the German Home on Howard Street in Lawrence and was elected president of the board of directors in 1998. This was another way for him to give back to his community, since the German Home cared for his own mother Margaret in her elder years and is situated across the street from where he grew up in the Prospect Hill section of Lawrence. In his golden years, Bob did mentoring for the City Homework Sports network at Silver Hill and Consentino grammar schools in Haverhill, MA.
Bob cared deeply about his family, especially his children and grandchildren. He was a longtime member of St. Robert's Bellarmine Church in Andover. Besides his love of New England sports, he enjoyed gardening, golfing, family vacations, and reading. He loved listening to jazz and big band music and took every opportunity to sing. He enjoyed meeting up with his friends, many of whom played sports with him in his youth, whether it was for breakfast or golf.
He is predeceased by his loving wife of 57 years, Carol French, his children Sharon French Grewal and her husband Harpreet of Cambridge, MA, Michael French of Andover, MA and his wife Mayumi, and Daniel French of Emeryville, Ca. He was the grandfather of Ishan and Anya Grewal and Eimi and Aki French. His son Robert H. French III predeceased him.
Interment will be at West Parish Garden Cemetery in Andover. Services will be private.
Donations in Bob’s memory may be made to: The German Home, 374 Howard St
Lawrence MA, 01841 (Telephone: 978-682-5593)
For more information or to send an online condolence, please go to: www.breenfuneralhome.com.
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