CELLA~ Silvio A. of Revere on April 14, 2010. Beloved husband of the late Mary (Cataldo) Cella. Devoted father of Michael Cella and his wife Pamela of Peabody, Gina Cella of Lynnfield and the late Steven Cella. Dear brother of the late Phyllis Moschella. Cherished grandfather of Stephanie Scalese of Peabody and Steven Cella of Salem and great-grandfather of Julien Cella and Domenic Cella Scalese.
Funeral from the Paul Buonfiglio & Sons~Bruno Funeral Home 128 Revere St, REVERE on Tuesday, April 20, 2010 at 10am. Followed by a Funeral Mass to be celebrated in St. Anthony's Church at 11am. Relatives and friends are kindly invited to attend. Visiting hours Monday from 3~8pm.
He was the longtime football coach and athletic director at Revere High School, where he retired as the school’s “Winningest Coach” in 1983. Silvio “Coach” Cella passed away on Wednesday morning, April 14, 2010, at age 87.
Silvio Cella had a distinguished career in high school and college athletics as a student/athlete, coach and administrator. He began his professional career at Revere High School as a math teacher. Mr. Cella was appointed Athletic Director at Revere High School in 1959 where he also served as head football coach for 28 years.
As athletic director, Mr. Cella oversaw all school athletic events and programs, and worked to expand the sports curriculum to include a broad range of varsity and junior varsity activities. He was voted Massachusetts Athletic Director of the Year in 1987 and served as president of the Greater Boston League from 1978-1980. Mr. Cella also served as the League's Baseball Commissioner.
During his tenure as head football coach at Revere High School, Coach Cella achieved many distinctions, including being named Massachusetts Coach of the Year and National Sons of Italy Coach of the Year. He was inducted into the Massachusetts High School Coaches Hall of Fame and the National Football Federation Hall of Fame. In addition, Coach Cella earned over 100 victories as a head coach – leading his teams to five Greater Boston League championship titles. He coached the first Greater Boston League team to participate in a state SuperBowl (1973, SuperBowl II). Coach Cella also served several times as head coach of the Harry Agganis Football Classic.
As a student athlete at Revere High School, Silvio Cella was a stand-out in football, baseball and track. He went on to Boston University where he was a two-way starter under coach "Buff" Donelli, playing with local football legend Harry Agganis. Silvio Cella was named UPI All American in his senior year. He served in the United States Marines during World War II, and graduated from Boston University where he was appointed Freshman Football Coach for the B.U. Terriers. The following year, 1950, he returned to his native Revere. He also went on to earn a master's degree in education.
After retiring as head football coach in 1983, Coach Cella’s son and former assistant coach, Michael Cella, later took over as head football coach at Revere. This was the first father-son combination in high school athletics in Massachusetts.
Very active in community service, Mr. Cella supported a number of local organizations, including the Boys’ Club of Revere, Revere Public Library, Special Olympics, United Way, V.F.W., American Legion, Sons of Italy, Kiwanis Club of Revere, the city's "Say No To Drugs" Committee and the Blue Ribbon Committee on Recreational Development.
In lieu of flowers please make memorial donations to: The Silvio Cella Family Foundation,established to support Massachusetts high school football programs, P.O. Box 1074, Lynnfield, MA 01940. Interment in Holy Cross Cemetery.