One of his first actions as headmaster was to move his office to the student center—which he called the “fishbowl”—in order to have more contact with students.

“He was very much in the thick of the action,” said Harris.

Piatelli also encouraged members of the school to engage in what he called gracious living by showing respect to all members of the school community.

A strong leader, Piatelli caused two administrators and two faculty members to follow him to the Berkshire school from their former positions at Albany Academy.

“He left a legacy of trust, care and giving,” Director of Student Life Peter Parisi, a close friend of Mr. Piatelli’s who had been his associate head at Albany Academy, told the stunned assembly on Monday morning according to a statement issued by the Berkshire School.

Friends waited in line for two hours last night to pay their respects to the family of the beloved headmaster.

Piatelli faced an uphill climb from his roots as a second-generation Italian immigrant to the headmaster’s office of a prestigious boarding school.

His friend and former roommate Gray Holmes ’75, described Piatelli’s life as, “a nice story to tell about an athlete that came from a modest background to dedicate himself to teaching and working with children.”

Piatelli is survived by his mother; his wife of 27 years; their three sons: Christopher, Gregory and Stephen; a sister, Linda Higgins; and four brothers, Paul, Mark, Jack and James Piatelli.

Funeral services will be held this morning at 9:10 a.m. at the Bell-O’Dea Funeral Home, at 376 Washington Street, Brookline. The funeral will be followed by a 10 a.m. Mass at St. Lawrence Church at 774 Boylston Street, Chestnut Hill.