Louis R. Colitti, 78, of Raynham, passed away peacefully in his sleep on Thursday, January 12, 2023.

Lou was born June 28, 1944 in New York city. He was the son of the late Dante P. Colitti and Lillian C. (Hunter) Colitti. Brother of the late Paul D. Colitti of Chicago, IL. Michael C. Colitti of Plymouth, MA. Christopher M. Colitti of Dover, NH.

Originally from the Bronx, New York, Lou attended high school at Saint Sebastian's in Needham, MA. He played baseball and basketball, was affectionately named "the Bronx bomber" and "leaping Lou". He then went on to Stonehill College, earning a degree in history, where he played shortstop in baseball and was a guard on the basketball team.

Upon graduating from Stonehill in 1966, Lou began his career as a history teacher at Brockton High School. He coached baseball, basketball, and cross country while at Brockton before retiring from teaching in 1989. He was the head baseball coach at Stonehill College from 1974 - 1994. In 1980, he was named New England coach of the year, when his team won the ECAC championship.

He was the head coach of Brockton's original cranberry league baseball team, the Brockton Merchants in 1978, 79 and had the late Bob Richards as his right hand man, who he referred to as "Steinbrenner". In 1995 and 96, he was an assistant baseball coach at Massasoit with head coach Tom Frizzell. The warriors were Region 21 champions and CSAC champions and earned a birth in the Junior College World Series in 1995. From 1997 to 2018, he was an assistant baseball coach at Bridgewater State with his good friend and head coach, Rick Smith.They were a part of nine regular season championships and five MASCAC tournament championships. In 2019, he returned to Stonehill College baseball to serve as assistant coach for his former player and now head coach Pat Boen. In November of 2022, he was honored with the Connie Spillane award for lifetime achievement from Cranberry League baseball.

During the summer he would work from sun up to sundown painting houses, often with good friend Peter Johnson. For many years he worked at the Raynham/ Taunton greyhound dog track and bartended at the Brockton fair for George Carney. He was an avid fan of the New York Yankees and Notre Dame football. Always ready with a story about his loyal friend Walter the basset hound and his latest exploits, he was extremely fond of all dogs. He had an encyclopedic baseball memory and loved talking baseball. A baseball man from his head to his toes, he could often be found behind the back stop of many a local ball field sitting in his folding chair smoking a big cigar or pipe while he scouted local baseball players. Starting with Wally Boen at Get Ready, he ran youth baseball camps during summer and winter as well as giving one on one lessons for willing ball players. If he wasn't on a ball field, you could find him at TGA working out, not ever willing to take a day off.

Lou is survived by his four children, John D. Colitti and his wife Karen of Abington, Robert L. Colitti and his wife Lisa of Raynham, Matthew T. Colitti of Brockton, Leanna L.A. Colitti - Stanley and her husband Ahbleza of Long Beach, CA. He is also survived by his grandchildren Michael, Stephanie, Gabriella, and his great grandson Benjamin, as well as nieces and nephews.

Visitation will be held at the Russell & Pica Funeral Home, 165 Belmont Street, Brockton on Thursday, January 19th from 4 to 8 p.m. His funeral mass will be at the Chapel of Mary, on the campus of Stonehill College, 320 Washington Street, Easton, MA on Friday January 20th at 10:00 a.m. Interment will be private at the convenience of the family.

In lieu of flowers, a donation can be made to Stonehill College baseball, c/o Pat Boen, 320 Washington St, North Easton, MA 02357