WELD – Porter “Pete” Farley Sickels, 77, passed away peacefully on Saturday, June 28, at the family’s summer camp in Weld, following a long illness with Parkinson’s Disease.

He was born on May 3, 1931, in Massachusetts, a son of George and Jane (Farley) Sickels.

He graduated from Deering High School and U.N.H., and later received his masters degree from Wesleyan University in Middletown, Conn. During the summers of ’52 and ’53, he played for the St. Louis Cardinal farm system as an infielder.

Pete was a well respected educator and coach for 30 years, retiring in 1987. His many accomplishments include coaching teams to state ski championships, Kents Hill in ’62 and ’64, organizing and establishing the first American Legion baseball team in the Farmington area, and becoming inducted into the Maine Baseball Hall of Fame in ’07.

He was an avid New England sports fan.

He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Jean (Swett) Sickels, whom he married on June 12, 1954, of Weld; his son, Craig and his wife, Dona, and their sons, Matthew Dale and Orion Sickels of Freeport; his daughter, Jill Matlock and her husband, Ross, and their sons, Kye and Jamis of Crested Butte, Colo.; a sister, Katherine Hayes of Falmouth; brother-in-law, Richard Howison of Scarborough; and many nieces and nephews.

He was predeceased by sisters Farley Prindle and Jane Howison; and brother George Sickels.

Special thanks to the wonderful and caring people at Androscoggin Home Care and Hospice.