Ponce, Roberto

Roberto Ponce of Pittsford, NY died Saturday August 26, 2017 after a valiant battle with colon cancer.  He was born August 2, 1971 in Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico to Rogelio and Neidy Ponce. Having attended military academy as a child, Roberto had a passion to serve in law enforcement from a young age.

After moving to the United States, he met and married Jennifer in 1997. He graduated from the University of Cincinnati with a BS in Criminal Justice and joined the US Border Patrol in Calexico, CA. The family relocated to Detroit MI where he became a Marine Interdiction Agent and patrolled the waters of the Great Lakes.

It was at this time, he helped the agency form an Honor Guard unit drawing on his early school experiences. Roberto spent countless hours training others on the ins and outs of Honor Guard protocol. His heart felt compelled to honor other fallen officers, retirees, and to attend many ceremonial events as the unit’s commander. He took a temporary assignment as a Spanish instructor at FLETC guiding and supervising new agents and most recently joined the Rochester, NY Air and Marine unit.

Roberto was a vibrant man who loved his family and friends dearly and treated everyone with respect. He is survived by his wife, Jennifer and daughters Carmen and Isabella; mother Neidy, father Rogelio; brothers Roger (Ibeth), Rolando (Amy), Rodolfo (Janice). Nieces and nephews; Carolyn, Annemarie, Steven, Michael, Amy, Eric, Patty, Cyril, Adriana, Gabriela, Juliana, Andre, Adriel, Jonathan, Jathniel, Bernice, Josias.

Calling Hours will be held Thursday, August 31st 4-7PM at the Richard H. Keenan Funeral Home (7501 Pittsford Palmyra Rd, Fairport, NY 1445). The Funeral Mass will be held Friday, September 1, at 11 am at St. Louis Catholic Church 64 S. Main St. Pittsford, NY 14534. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to Concerns of Police Survivors (C.O.P.S) nationalcops.org.