Anthony S. Panciera

MERIDEN -- Anthony S. Panciera, 84, former principal of Orville H. Platt High School, died Wednesday, July 18, 2001, at Connecticut Baptist Home.He was born in Meriden in 1917 to the late Jennie and Louis Panciera. He graduated from Meriden High School in 1934 and from the University of Connecticut in 1939. While at UConn he was a member of the varsity baseball and football teams. He was co-captain of the 1938 football team. He earned a Master's degree in 1952 and a Certificate of Advanced Graduate Studies in secondary school administration in 1963 at the University of Hartford. During World War II, he served as Chief Quartermaster on a Coast Guard cutter in the Alaska -- Aleutian Islands Sector. After the war he was employed as a teacher -- coach at the Chester and Old Saybrook High Schools before returning to Meriden in 1947 to teach English and coach football, basketball and baseball at Meriden High School He was one of the founders of Little League Baseball and Biddy Basketball in this city and coached some of the original teams. In 1958 he was appointed assistant principal of the newly opened Platt High School and in 1968 was named principal of Platt. He retire from that position in June 1976. From 1976 to 1982 he was employed as Assistant Executive Secretary of the Connecticut Association of Secondary Schools and the Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference. In 1976, he received honorary awards from the Unison and Probus Clubs and in 1992, he was the recipient of a Meriden Sports Alumni Award. He was a member of St. Andrews Episcopal Church where he was a lay reader and served two terms as a vestryman. He was predeceased by his wife, the former Barbara Fellows; and by brothers, Arthur and Enver. He is survived by his sons and daughters-in-law, Peter and Barbara Panciera of Nairobi, Kenya and Donald and Gail Panciera of Meriden; by a grandson, Greg Panciera of Los Angeles; a brother George and sister-in-law, Elizabeth Panciera of Meriden; and by several nieces and nephews. Friends and relatives may call at the Beecher & Bennett Flatow Funeral Home, 48 Cook Ave., Meriden, Friday, July 20, from 5 to 8 p.m. The funeral service will be held St. Andrews Church, 20 Catlin St., Meriden, Saturday, July 21, at 10 a.m. Burial will be in Walnut Grove Cemetery. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to the St. Andrews Church Memorial Fund or to the charity of one's choice.