“It is with heavy hearts we share the passing of a Biddeford legend, Bob Cote, who served as our manager for 52 years, starting just one year after our founding in 1961 and retiring in 2013.”
The news Friday of Cote’s death, announced by Pizza By Alex, saddened generations of his pie customers and co-workers.
“Rest easy, legend,” Rapid Ray’s hamburger stand in neighboring Saco posted on Facebook.
“More than a manager, Bob was the face of Alex Pizza for decades: always present, always consistent, always there with a smile and a quick wit,” the popular pizza shop said. “While Alex may have set the standard, it was Bob who kept and nurtured it.
“He was countless people’s ‘first boss.’ He took care of his staff as though they were his own kids, with kindness, fairness, and genuine investment in who they were becoming. Many of those kids stayed in touch with him long after their time at Alex Pizza. For a lot of them, he never really stopped being their boss – just became something more.
“His love for the Biddeford community, his pride in his work, and his generous spirit are his legacy. We are all so lucky to have known him.
“We extend our deepest condolences to his family, and our deepest gratitude to Bob – for 52 years of showing up, and for all the ways he shaped this place and the people in it.
“We invite you to share any memories of Bob in the comments and we will be sure to get them to his family.”
Visitation will be held on Saturday, May 16, 2026, from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Hope Memorial Chapel, 480 Elm Street, Biddeford.
A Funeral Mass will be held on Friday, May 22, 2026, at St. Joseph’s Church in Biddeford.
Cote’s home away from home was founded in 1960 by Alex Mantis, who had one employee.
Within a few years, it outgrew its original spot and moved up the street to its present location, 93 Alfred Street in Biddeford.
The business has remained in the Mantis family for more than 60 years, as it was passed on to Alex’s nephew, Andy Mantis in 1986, and most recently Andy’s daughter, Steph in 2020.
Bob Cote represented much of the generational success of Pizza By Alex.
Great pizza, always bought a bunch and froze them for future enjoyment. I am old enough to remember the original shop. And the small pepperoni and the paper plates, no boxes!