Former De La Salle quarterback Rich Pelletier, who in 1982 helped the Spartans construct their first of many perfect seasons, died unexpectedly over the weekend at his home in Walnut Creek.
According to friends, Pelletier, who graduated from DLS in 1983, died in his sleep late Saturday night or early Sunday morning. A close friend and two former teammates said his death was not caused by COVID-19.
De La Salle went 12-0 during the ‘82 season, which was Bob Ladouceur’s fourth year as coach. It beat Campolindo 17-6 in the North Coast Section 2A semifinals, then crushed Arroyo 49-0 for its first section championship. Since then the Spartans have won 34 NCS football titles, including the last 28 in a row.
“Rich was a great athlete,” Ladouceur recalled. “He played baseball and football. He could throw, he could run, he was calm and cool. He had a Joe Montana-type personality on the field.”
Teammates remembered Pelletier as a quiet person who always wore a smile but said very little.
“It was kind of a sly smile,” Patrick Oswald recalled.
Pelletier was the first player under Ladouceur to be recruited by Division I colleges. He signed with UOP before eventually transferring to Washington State.
“He was recruited by Pete Carroll,” Ladouceur said of the Seattle Seahawks coach, who at the time was UOP’s offensive coordinator. “The first time I saw him, I thought he was one of our students.”
In addition to his wife Julie, Pelletier leaves behind four children.