POUGHKEEPSIE – Joseph A. Roberto, 69, an area resident for 39 years and formerly of Mount Vernon, died on Tuesday, June 4, 2012 at Vassar Brothers Medical Center.

Born in Mount Vernon on March 4, 1943, he was the son of the late Thomas and Charlotte (Rossi) Roberto. On June 29, 1969 in Vietnam, he married Kim Nguyen. Mrs. Roberto survives at home.

Joseph proudly served our country in the US Army as part of the 5th Special Forces Group Airborne during the Vietnam War. He then transferred to the New York Army National Guard where he served for many years until his retirement in 1998 as a Lieutenant Colonel. He retired from the Dutchess County Sheriff's Department where he was Lieutenant of Corrections. He was currently a Professor of Business for Dutchess Community College and a parishioner at St. Columba Church in Hopewell Junction.

In addition to his beloved wife, Joseph is survived by his daughters, Kim Galletta and her husband Paul of Wappingers Falls and AnnMarie Teegarden and her husband Keith of Raleigh, NC; his grandchildren, Bobby and Tommy Galletta and Gavin, Ella, and Alexa Teegarden; his brother, Ralph Roberto of Holly Springs, NC; his sister-in-law and brother-in-law, Bang and Davy Ko of LaGrange; his nieces, Christine Stangel and her husband Chris, Colleen Marcus and her husband Scott, and Tiffany Ko; his nephews, Skip Roberto and Peter Ko; and his great-nieces and great-nephews, Chelsea, Madison and Mackenzie Stangel, Cameron and Connor Marcus, and Grant Wells. He was predeceased by his brother, Thomas Roberto.

Calling hours will be held on Thursday from 2-4 and 7-9 pm at the McHoul Funeral Home, Inc., 895 Route 82, Hopewell Junction. The Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Friday at 10 am at St. Columba Church, 835 Route 82, Hopewell Junction. Interment will follow at St. Denis Cemetery in Hopewell Junction with military honors.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to the Joe Roberto ABG Scholarship, c/o Dutchess Community College Foundation, 53 Pendell Rd., Poughkeepsie, NY 12601 (Please make checks payable to the DCC Foundation and reference the Joe Roberto Fund on the check) or the Autism Society of North Carolina, 505 Oberlin Road, Suite 230, Raleigh, NC 27605.

For driving directions, memorial donations, or online condolences, please visit Joseph's Book of Memories at www.mchoulfuneralhome.