Lawrence Guertin

Lawrence was born on February 25, 1946, to Walter and Louise Guertin of Brooklyn, New York.

Lawrence graduated from Lafayette High School, Brooklyn, NY in 1965. It was at Lafayette High School where he played Varsity football with his brother Allan Guertin.He often reminisced about his time in

college. One of his favorite stories was about hunting wild turkeys with his brothers at the University of Huron, South Dakota,where he played college football.

Shortly after, Lawrence was drafted into the Army, where he served his nation as a soldier during the Vietnam War.

In 1969,Lawrence was introduced to Linda Salvo by Phylis Hochberg and immediately fell in love. Linda

saw through his tough guy exterior, and brought out the best in him with her unconditional love. They were married on October 18th, 1970 at St. Brendan’s Catholic Church in Brooklyn, NY. He started a tradition for Linda, and would buy his wife one rose for every year they were married. Lawrence and Linda were married for 54 years.

Linda and Larry went on to have three daughters, Kimbelry, Debra, and Karen.

In 1974, Lawrence began working in Bedford Stuyvesant in Brooklyn, NY as a Police Officer at the 77 Precinct. His last precinct was the 5-0 in Riverdale, Bronx, NY where he retired a 23 year veteran of the NYPD. He could not stay retired for long, and became a bus driver for the Clarkstown Central School District.

Lawrence found his life's purpose in serving his family, and his community. In 1977, he and his uncle, Amile Vigilante, built his family their first home from an abandoned house in Rockville Center, New York, before moving his family to West Nyack, NY in 1980.

Lawrence was passionate about sports. He would take his daughters to hockey games, and coached the Clarkstown Thunder, a 1974 Boys soccer travel team, and the North Rockland Raiders, a 1977 Girls travel soccer team. He had been awarded coach of the year several times. His Super Bowl parties became a family tradition, where his children would always have a side bet going as to how many quarters it would take before he shouted at the TV: “Come on! That call is garbage! The referees always ruin the game!” and storm off into his bedroom to watch alone.

Larry is predeceased by his parents, Walter and Louise Guertin, and his brother Allen Guertin.

He is survived by his daughter's Kimberly McCarthy, Debra DiTuri, and Karen Smith; his six grandsons: Kian, Devereuax, DJ, and Dominick McCarthy; Nicholas and Lorenzo DiTuri; his son in law, Gary Smith, beloved sister, Carol Berthiaume, and brother, Francis Guertin.

Lawrence will always be remembered as a man who put his family first, was loyal to the core, and found joy in serving his fellow man. He was beloved husband, father, brother, uncle, cousin, coach, and friend to all those who knew him. And he will be dearly missed.

Visitation will be held Sunday, February 2nd, 3-7pm at Michael Higgins Funeral Home, New City.

A funeral mass will be held Monday, February 3rd at 11:30am at St. Francis of Assisi Parish at 128 Parrot Road in West Nyack, followed by a burial in St. Charles / Resurrection Cemeteries, 2015 Wellwood Avenue,Farmingdale, New York 11735.

Flowers can be sent to Higgins Funeral Home at 321 South Main Street New City, New York.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Alzheimer’s Association.