Stony Brook administrator Ronald LaValle dies

Ronald LaValle, who helped found Stony Brook University Medical Center and later was the school's assistant lacrosse coach, died Wednesday at his Patchogue home. He was 67.

The cause was lung cancer, his family said Thursday.

LaValle was a top Stony Brook hospital administrator for nearly 25 years, guiding the medical center as it grew from a 30-bed upstart teaching hospital in 1980 into one of the region's most respected medical care and research institutions. He was recruited in the late 1970s to help founding director Michael Elliott launch the long-planned facility.

"That's probably his fondest memory, when they used to sit around the table and figure out what they needed for this hospital they were opening," said his wife of 22 years, Cynthia LaValle.

LaValle held the title of associate director for many years, the university said, and retired about 10 years ago as a vice president in charge of the legal department. He held a bachelor's degree in psychology from Adelphi University, a master's degree in hospital administration from Long Island University C.W. Post and a law degree from Touro Law Center.

"He could debate anyone on any subject," said his daughter, Michelle Levin, of Syosset.

Sports also came easily to Ronald LaValle, who lettered in tennis, basketball and lacrosse in high school.

At Adelphi, where he is a member of the hall of fame, he led the lacrosse team in scoring for two years and was named to the All-America team in 1965, according his official Stony Brook biography. A quick, wiry player, he was nicknamed "Spider," his wife said.

In 2002, LaValle became an assistant coach for the Stony Brook Seawolves lacrosse team, helping lead the team to an NCAA Division 1 tournament appearance that year.

Yet his brother, Kenneth LaValle, a Republican state senator, recalls, "I never heard him talking about winning or losing. It was about making the kids scholar-athletes. He used to tell me, 'Ken, it's all about the kids.' "

Born on March 28, 1943, in Brooklyn, LaValle spent most of his childhood in Uniondale, where he graduated from high school in 1961, his brother said.

His father, Julius LaValle, was the controller for Calvary Hospital in the Bronx. In the summers, the family would visit LaValle's grandparents' farm in Coram.

LaValle served in the Navy from 1965 to 1969, his family said, and had a lifelong love of the water. On many summer weekends, he could be found on a boat in the Great South Bay with family and his yellow Labrador retriever, Ned.

In addition to his wife, daughter and brother, LaValle is survived by a son, Mark LaValle of East Meadow, two grandchildren, Samantha and Sydney, of Syosset, and a sister, Stephany Duignan of Copiague.

A viewing will be held Sunday from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 9 p.m. at Robertaccio Funeral Home in Patchogue. A funeral Mass will be held at Infant Jesus Chapel at St. Charles Hospital in Port Jefferson at 11 a.m. Monday. The body will be interred at Holy Sepulchre Cemetery in Coram.