Charles Albert "Al" Robichaud, age 87, longtime Concord resident and beloved Concord-Carlisle High School coach and teacher, died peacefully on June 29th while surrounded by his five loving children. He was the devoted husband of the late Carol (Zak) Robichaud who passed away in 2007. Al was born in Franklin, New Hampshire on November 23, 1933, as the son of the late Rosario and Aurore (Vigneault) Robichaud. Growing up in rural New Hampshire, Al became fascinated with nature. As a boy he would venture off to explore the woods and fields and ponds, examining insects, flowers, rocks, birds and small creatures. Determined to learn everything he could about the world around him, he decided to one day pursue a career in science. In high school he discovered another lifelong love: football. Al was a standout two way player for the Golden Tornados at Franklin High then spent a postgraduate year at Bridgeton Academy where he was elected captain. At the University of New Hampshire, though he was only 5'9" and weighed just around 150 pounds, Al dominated larger players as a three-time All Yankee Conference selection. As a senior captain, he capped his career by earning All-American and All-New England honors. After college Al found a way to combine his two loves, football and science. He returned to his alma mater, Franklin High as teacher and coach. When he wasn't in the lab dissecting frogs with students, he was blowing his whistle on the gridiron helping to mold young men into student athletes. In six years as head coach, Al led his team to two division titles. Franklin is where Al fell in love with his future wife, Carol. He once called their 48 year marriage "the greatest love story ever told." Carol Zak was a swimming and ski instructor who also participated in beauty contests. Among her titles were Miss University of New Hampshire and Miss Pepsi-Cola. She was 1st runner up to Miss NH. On their first date, Al suddenly jammed on the brakes of his car on a darkened country road. Carol was somewhat alarmed until she saw Al get out of the car and remove some frogs from the middle of the road and safely put them into the grass. That's when she knew this "nature boy" was her guy. They settled down in Franklin raising five small children until 1968, when Al answered an ad for a teaching and coaching position in the historic town of Concord, Massachusetts. Concord became their adopted home town. It was where Al's love of nature truly blossomed, as he saw Walden Pond for the first time. Inspired by the writings of Henry David Thoreau, Al would turn the woods into an outdoor classroom for his students. He would eventually create a mini pond in a courtyard of the high school, stocking it with fish, frogs and other creatures. He called it "Walled-In Pond" Al would become an active member of the conservation groups Walden Forever Wild and the Thoreau Society In 1972, after years as an assistant, Al took over as head coach of the Concord Carlisle Patriots. In his 27 years at the helm, he won several league championships capped by a Division 3 Super Bowl in 1978. In 2002, Al was inducted into the Massachusetts Football Coaches Hall of Fame and later into the Concord Carlisle Athletic Hall of Fame, but he always said his greatest joy was coaching his three sons, Jeff, Dave and Mike. Living in Concord, Al would take any opportunity he could to pursue another passion of his: singing. You could hear him belting out hymns at the top of his lungs in church at Holy Family Parish. In more recent years, Al and his devoted companion Jane Montague became mainstays at open mic nights at places like The Colonial Inn and Main Street Cafe. He enjoyed accompanying his former football player John "Fitz" Fitzsimmons at "The Inn." The duo would perform Al's signature tunes Danny Boy and Galway Bay but his all time favorite song remained What A Wonderful World. At any sporting event where they played The National Anthem, especially Concord Carlisle football games, no one sang louder or prouder than Al Robichaud. He was a true patriot. He was preceded in death by his wife Carol Marie (Zak) Robichaud and their parents Lt. Col A.M "Walter" Zak, Marie L (Cutcliffe) Zak, Rosario Robichaud, Aurore (Vigneault) Robichaud and Al's siblings and their spouses, Roger Robichaud, Adam and Rita (Robichaud) Novak, Robert Robichaud, Edward Clarenbach, John and Florence (Robichaud) Pastuczak, Wayne Cilley and Harry Shanelaris. Al and Carol's legacy will live on in their children: Jeffrey Robichaud and his wife Ramona of Maynard, MA, David Robichaud and his wife Eileen of Concord, MA, Michele Robichaud Brown and her husband Todd Brown of Overton, Nebraska, Michael Robichaud and his wife Rebecca of Concord, MA and Kimberly Robichaud Zipay and her husband, Andre of Pennsburg, PA. Al deeply loved his grandchildren: Ryan Robichaud and his wife Ellen of Brooklyn, NY, Erich Robichaud and his wife Cori of Maynard, MA, Nicole Robichaud of Arlington, MA, Charlie and Gabe Robichaud of Concord, MA, Micah Brown and his wife Leanna and their children Dawson, Peyton and Cy of Lawrence, Kansas, Ashley Brown Wiltgen and her husband Brice and their children Brayden, Brooklyn and Bowen of Surprise, Arizona, Justine Brown Murphy and her husband Phil and their daughter Indi of West Simsbury, CT, Isaac Brown and his wife Madeline of Kearney, Nebraska, Jibrail Coy of Boston MA, Orin Robichaud of Concord, MA, Luke Robichaud of Austin Texas, Willow Robichaud of Concord, MA, Alex Robichaud of Concord, MA, Jack Zipay of Omaha, Nebraska and Henry Zipay of Pennsburgh, PA. He is also survived by his sister-in-law, Helen Robichaud of Attleboro, MA, and his sisters, Cecile Clarenbach of Brecksville, OH, Lorraine Cilley and Joan Shanelaris, both of Franklin, NH. Family and friends are invited to gather for visiting hours on Wednesday, July 7th from 4 to 8 pm at Dee Funeral Home, 27 Bedford Street, Concord Center. Al's Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Thursday, July 8th at 10 am in Holy Family Parish, Monument Square, Concord Center. Burial will follow at St. Bernard's Cemetery in Concord. Following the committal ceremony, family and friends are invited to gather for lunch to celebrate Al's life and share in a time of remembrance at The Pierce House, 17 Weston Road, Lincoln, MA. In lieu of flowers, The Al Robichaud Memorial Fund has been established to support local organizations in the two communities he dearly loved. To honor Al's memory and legacy, please send contributions payable to The Al Robichaud Memorial Fund, c/o 35 Lapham Road, Concord, MA 01742. Arrangements are under the care of Dee Funeral Home & Cremation Service of Concord.