Portuese, Joel

Lt. Col. Joel Portuese, an All-American lacross goalie, graduated from Bethpage High School in 1983, went on to become a star player for the U.S. Military Academy. He was considered an "outstanding" player and helped West Point win, the then longest game in history, against Brown University with five overtime periods.

Joel served across the globe during his dozen or so years in the Army, and continued in the Army Reserve. He never saw combat which was a source of disappointment for him. He lived in Virginia and was to start a civilian job at the Pentagon later this month. Sadly Joel collapsed, while coaching his daughter's soccer game, and died en route to the hospital on October 20, 2007. He is survived by his wife, Kathryn, three children: Chelsea 12, Madison 9, and Spencer 5. His father Frank, 83, lives in Bethpage and has five siblings, Elizabeth Kirk of Levittown, Larry Portuese, 44, of Miller Place, Frank Portuese, 54, of Oxford, N. Y., Pete Portuese, 53, of Port Jefferson Station, and Barbara Fernandez, 48, of North Bellmore. The family hopes to bury Joel at West Point or in Arlington National Cemetery.

(Information from Newsday, October 22, 2007)