Saratoga Springs, NY - Robert Eugene Lavelle, a resident of Saratoga Springs, passed away Wednesday (Sept. 10, 2008) at home, surrounded by family and friends. He was 73. Born on June 10, 1935 in Poughkeepsie, NY, he was a son of the late Harry and Alice (Fitzgerald) Lavelle and graduated from Wappinger Falls High School, where he was one of the top athletes during the 1950's. He lettered in football, baseball and basketball and was a key player as a guard of the DCSL Championship basketball team. During the 1953-54 season, he was the second highest scorer in school history, scoring 293 points in 17 games and was named the Varsity Club Best Boy Athlete in 1954. In 2002, Bob was inducted into the Wappinger Central School District's Sports Hall of Fame and honored with a dinner ceremony and trophy. He later attended Dutchess County Community College and served in the US Navy aboard the USS Columbus, the USS Requin submarine and the USS Northampton, honorably discharged in 1958 after four years of duty. Bob worked for several years as a sales rep for the American Greeting Card Co. and American Tobacco. As " Mr. Wonderful", he owned and operated the Gold Lion for many years and was an accomplished chef and business owner. He was a member of the Hotel, Motel and Restaurant Workers Union Saratoga Local and the Saratoga-Wilton B.P.O. Elks Lodge 161. He is survived by his wife, Linda (Villa) Lavelle; children, Dawn Lavelle Share and Julianne Lavelle, both of Ormond Beach, FL, Michael (wife Brenda) Lavelle of Humble, TX and Charles (wife Grace) Bootier of Malta, NY; his sister, Jackie Hughes; his grandchildren, Brian, Matthew, Adam, Kevin and Lisa Share and Kyle Lavelle, all of Ormond Beach, FL; Michael Robert Lavelle of Syracuse, NY and Kendra Lavelle of Saratoga Springs, NY; one niece, Cathy Webster; one nephew, Steve Hughes, as well as man's best friend, Maggie. There will be no calling hours. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated at 12noon Friday (Sept. 12, 2008) in St Mary's Roman Catholic Church, 167 Milton Ave., Ballston Spa, by the Rev. Thomas Kelly, pastor. Burial with military honors will be at 1:30pm Friday at the Gerald B.H. Solomon Saratoga National Cemetery, Schuylerville. The family greatly appreciates the care and love provided by Hospice of Saratoga and requests memorials may be made in his name to Community Hospice of Saratoga, 179 Lawrence St., Saratoga Springs, NY 12866 or to the American Cancer Society, 260 Osborne Rd., Loudonville, NY 12211.