Joseph H. Potenza Jr., 61 of Hopkinton and formerly of Medway died September 4 in his home following a courageous battle with cancer. He was the husband of Diana (Bowers) Potenza.
Born in Milford on September 12, 1946, the first born son of Helen (Groehl) Potenza of Medway and the late Joseph H. Potenza Sr., Mr. Potenza was a raised in Medway and had lived in Hopkinton for many years.
He was a 1964 graduate of Medway High School and was awarded an athletic scholarship to Norwich University in Vermont where he excelled in football, baseball and basketball. His achievements in football and baseball were recognized by an induction into the Norwich University Hall of Fame, where he proudly accepted his award surrounded by his Norwich football team, his friends and his family at his home in Hopkinton on August 16, 2008.
After graduating from Norwich in 1968, Joe was offered a try out with the New England Patriots, but chose to serve his country, upon being commissioned into the United State Army as a second lieutenant. Joe went on to become a Captain of the Army and a paratrooper with the elite 82nd Airborne. Joe served in Vietnam and his courage was recognized with several distinct medals of honor which included the Bronze Star and the Army Commendation Medal.
Joe continued his education with an MBA from Central Michigan University in 1975 and was honorably discharged from the Army in 1979 to accept a position at American Hospital Supply where he worked his way up the corporate ladder to become Vice President of Baxter. Joe went on to become CEO of Luxtec and President of Integra Life Sciences in 2008.
Joe was a devoted family man and his favorite hobbies included basketball with his brother and sons, scrabble with his daughter, football with his grandchildren, sailing with his wife, and visiting his mother for their lunch dates.
In addition to his wife and mother, he is survived by his son, Joseph H. Potenza III and his wife, Laura of Fairfield CT, his daughter, Jennifer Potenza and her husband, Michael Tsoumpas of New York and sons, Michael Potenza of Hopkinton and Matthew Potenza of Hopkinton. He is also survived by his brother, James Potenza and his wife, Sharon of Saudi Arabia, Donna Dahl and her husband, David of Franklin, John Potenza and his wife, Gloria of Medway, and his grandchildren, Joseph H. Potenza IV , Jack Potenza, Catherine Potenza and John–Oliver Tsoumpas.
He is also survived by his loving nephews, Andrew Dahl and Julian Potenza and his niece and goddaughter, Kristy Dahl.
His funeral will be held on Monday, September 8 from the Ginley-Crowley Funeral Home, 3 Barber St. in Medway at 9:15 a.m. followed by a funeral Mass in St. Joseph Church at 10:00 a.m.
Burial services with full military honors will be held at St. Joseph Cemetery in Medway.
Calling hours will be on Sunday from 4-8 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be made in his memory to the Dana Farber Cancer Institute, 10 Brookline Place, West 6th Floor, Brookline, MA 02445.