November 16, 1932 – June 30, 2022
William J. “Coach Bill” Squires Sr., passed away peacefully on June 30, 2022, at the age of 89. He had been a resident of Reading for the past four years, and was formerly of Melrose, Quincy, Wakefield and Arlington. He was the devoted father of Mary Susan of Quincy, William J. Jr. and his wife Priscilla of Reading, Gerard F. and his wife Gabrielle Freedman of Stoughton. Beloved grandfather of Christopher, Katherine, Jessica, Robert, Cecelia, and Jackson, great-grandfather of Chandler and Savannah, and great-great-grandfather of Colten, Alaina, and Caden. He was also the brother of the late John Squires of Arlington and former husband of the late Sally Squires of Wakefield.
Coach Squires was renowned for coaching generations of top marathon athletes including Bill Rodgers, Greg Meyer, Dick Beardsley, Alberto Salazar, Jack Fultz, and many other runners. In his youth he was an All-America runner at Arlington High and Notre Dame, and went on to coach athletes at Wakefield High, Boston State, and UMass Boston. He contributed greatly to the “running boom” of the 1970s, and coached local running teams for decades including Team New Balance, the Greater Boston Track Club, the Liberty Athletic Club, and the Boston Sisu Club.
John Powers of the Boston Globe wrote a tribute to Coach this week; in it he quoted 1968 Boston Marathon winner Amby Burfoot who said, “Bill Squires turned a bunch of wacky individualistic Boston runners into marathon elites in part because he shared the same traits – he’s wacky and individualistic.” Burfoot quoted Coach Squires, “You need a little flavor… you’ve got to be fun. You can’t have a frown on your face.” It was these traits – being wacky and fun – as well as his generosity of spirit, that made Coach Squires so beloved by his athletes, his friends, and his family.
Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend visiting hours on Friday, July 8 from 3 pm – 8 pm taking place inside St. Agnes Church, 186 Woburn Street, Reading; and a celebration of life Funeral Mass also at St. Agnes on Saturday July 9 at 11:00 AM. A collation and celebration of his life with stories etc., will follow immediately afterward in the Parish Hall directly behind the church. Any and all former and current running enthusiasts are encouraged to wear their running shoes to both the visiting hours and/or funeral in Coach’s honor!
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to the “Bill Squires Track Legacy Fund” in honor of Coach, ℅ 26 Oak Ridge Road Reading, Mass, 01867. To share a memory or send a note of condolence, please visit Douglass, Edgerley and Bessom Funeral Home’s website at www.johnbdouglassfuneralhome.com
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