Former Stony Brook men's lacrosse assistant coach was also instrumental in the founding of Stony Brook Medical Center.
Ron LaValle, former assistant men's lacrosse coach at Stony Brook University, passed away on Dec. 29 at the age of 67.
"The Long Island community lost a special friend with the passing of Ron LaValle," Stony Brook Director of Athletics Jim Fiore said. "While he played a vital role in helping our men's lacrosse program win our athletic department's first-ever America East Conference championship, his true legacy will be of a person that placed great emphasis on mentoring and shaping the scholar-athletes of Stony Brook University. An ardent supporter of Seawolves lacrosse, he was a great man that I am proud to have called a friend. We will miss Ron, and we join his loved ones in mourning his passing."
LaValle coached under former Seawolves head coach John Espey from 2001-04. During that time, he helped lead Stony Brook to the 2002 America East Conference championship and the school's first-ever NCAA Tournament berth.
"Ron was a terrific coach, but the best thing he did for our program was mentor our student-athletes," Espey said. "He would give them advice about law school, medical school, the health sciences and other things; and our student-athletes loved him. Ron was a great person and an honorable man."
LaValle also spent more than 30 years as a CEO, COO and Associate/Assistant Director in various New York hospitals. He was instrumental in helping to start the Stony Brook Medical Center along with founding director Michael Elliott. LaValle also served his country as a shipboard engineering officer in the United States Navy for five years.
As an athlete, LaValle was a standout lacrosse player at Adelphi University, leading the team in scoring his junior and senior seasons and earning All-America honors in 1965. To this day, he is still ninth among all Division II Adelphi players in career assists with 74. He was elected to the Adelphi Hall of Fame in 1996.
"The entire Stony Brook University community, and our lacrosse family in particular, lost a great man in Ron LaValle," said current Stony Brook University Head Lacrosse Coach Rick Sowell. "The impact he had on young men was undeniable and I was always so impressed by the energy and passion he had for the game of lacrosse and support of the Stony Brook lacrosse program. As he was such a well-respected member of the national lacrosse community, I am sure I join so many others when I say that we will all miss Ron LaValle greatly."
LaValle is survived by his wife Cynthia, son Mark LaValle, daughter Michelle Levin, brother Kenneth P. LaValle, two grandchildren, Samantha and Sydney, and sister Stephany Duignan. A wake will be held Sunday, Jan. 2, at Robertaccio Funeral Home in Patchogue from 2-4 and 6-9 p.m. and a funeral mass will take place Monday, Jan. 3, at Infant Jesus Chapel at St. Charles Hospital in Port Jefferson at 11 a.m. The body will be interred at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Coram.
