Robert Vido Ghilotti, a longtime resident of the Bay Area and Lake Tahoe, passed away April 29 at Scripps Green Hospital in La Jolla with his family and friends at his side.

Throughout life his positive attitude and enthusiasm were hallmarks of his character and professional football coaching career.

Robert Ghilotti left behind a legacy in football – being a part of some of the most innovative passing games of the time. While most teams were still dedicated to running the football, and only throwing the ball when absolutely necessary, the teams Ghilotti was a part of always featured a dangerous and cutting edge passing game that led to the development of All-American and record setting quarterbacks and receivers. Joe Marvin a football historian, former football coach, and long-time friend of Ghilotti’s said “Bob Ghilotti was way ahead of his time with the passing game, no doubt about it. He was a pioneer in the passing game and he was an outstanding man.”

Robert Ghilotti was born Aug. 6, 1922, in Clovis to Giovanni and Maria Ghilotti from Grosio, Italy. He was the youngest of three brothers. He grew up in Modesto and eventually went on to attend Modesto High School where he was described early on as a “mighty popular fellow and a scholar too.” He was an excellent tight-end and the student body president. He later attended Modesto Junior College where he was an athletic stand-out, lettering in three sports; football, basketball and track. Ghilotti had a deep allegiance and love for our constitution and the United States of America. A veteran of the Second World War, Ghilotti served in the Army (1942-1946) as a medic and sharpshooter; he was honorably discharged in February 1946.

Following the war, he played wide receiver and defensive end for the Stanford Cardinal.He continued to follow his passion: the game of football and became a freshman football coach at Stanford University in 1950. During Ghilotti’s tenure at Stanford as a coach he helped lead Stanford to the 1952 Rose Bowl against the University of Illinois.

After Ghilotti’s successful coaching career at Stanford University, he accepted a coaching position at the University of Colorado at Boulder where he continued to work with the wide receivers from 1959-1961. Ghilotti was highly regarded by the Colorado football staff and faculty for his ability as a coach, as well as his tremendous representation of the school at speaking engagements.

Following the 1961 season Ghilotti made the jump to the professional coaching ranks where he accepted a position with the Dallas Texans of the American Football League. Ghilotti spent the 1963 season with the new Kansas City Chiefs before departing back to the Bay Area and taking a coaching position with the University of California, Berkeley.

Moving to the other sideline of the big game rivalry between Stanford and Cal, Ghilotti spent five seasons coaching the Golden Bears of Cal under head coach Ray Willsey.

He retired from coaching football so that he could focus on spending time with his wife and three daughters while developing a real estate career and managing the Ghilotti family ranch in the Central Valley.

He is preceded in death by his loving wife Viola B. Ghilotti, and his two brothers; Attico E. Ghilotti, and Levio G. Ghilotti. He is survived by his three daughters Mary Lynn G. Toney, Lee Ann Toney, and Joan Ghilotti; as well as four grandsons Robert, Jason, Nicholas, and Patrick; four granddaughters, Elizabeth, Megan, Ariana, and Jessica and one great grandson, Padraig. With many fond memories of friends and family at Lake Tahoe, a memorial will be held on June 2, at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church at 11:00. The address is as follows: 701 Mount Rose Highway, Incline Village.

In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be sent to St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church at the address above. Notes of sympathy can be sent to The Ghilotti Sisters, c/o Robert Toney, 13867 Otis Place, Poway, CA 92064.