Howard Franklin Doliber III, 59, died on April 4th, 2012, at Salem Hospital, surrounded by love, after a valiant fight against cancer. He was born at the old Mary Alley Hospital in Marblehead. He was the son of the late Howard and Gail (Greene) Doliber.
Howie attended Marblehead High School and was a member of the varsity hockey team playing goalie under coach Bob Roland. He graduated in 1970 and continued playing hockey at Bryant and Stratton College in Boston. He furthered his education at Salem State College and started his own business, Doliber Landscaping in 1976.
Howie developed a love for the game of hockey as a young rink rat at the old Lynn arena and playing youth hockey under Bud Orne. Howie began coaching Marblehead Youth Hockey in the mid-1970s’ and went on to assist coach Roland at Marblehead Varsity and JV hockey until 1993 when he became the new head coach after Roland's departure.
The first order of business as the new head coach was to establish an organization to help support the Marblehead High School Hockey program. His goal was to provide financial support to those players who were not be able to afford equipment/ ice time in order that every person had a chance to play. He called his good friend coach Mathews and together they laid the foundation for the Friends of Marblehead Hockey. Howie retired from Marblehead High School Hockey in 2002 and coached as Bo Tierney’s assistant at Bishop Fenwick Varsity Hockey until 2009.
Howie Doliber has won many accolades in his coaching career but his most prized accomplishment was as a father to his four children: Jessica Doliber of Santa Cruz, California; Sarah Doliber of Portland, OR; Patrick Doliber of Rindge, NH, and Connor Doliber of Portland, ME. He was the beloved husband of Sharon (Lally) Doliber.
In addition to his wife and children, he is survived by his brother, Earl Doliber and his wife Faye of Danvers; his three sisters, Elisabeth Phipps of Marblehead, Hilary Doliber and her partner Sally Gould of Salem, and Elayne Doliber of Marblehead. He also leaves his nieces and nephews, Josh Hart, Samuel and Joseph Snow, Ryan, Michelle, Erin, Cathryn Lally and Erin Delaney. He will be dearly missed by his dog Shorty.
ARRANGEMENTS: Visiting hours will be held at the Eustis and Cornell Funeral Home, 142 Elm Street, Marblehead, on Monday, April 9, from 4 to 8 PM. Relatives and friends respectfully invited. A Funeral Service will be held at the Old North Church, 35 Washington Street, Marblehead, on Tuesday at 11 AM. Cremation and a private interment will be in Waterside Cemetery, Marblehead, later this spring. Please visit the online guest book for Howie at www.eustisandcornellfuneralhome.com
