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Chris McLaurin, age 63, of Poughkeepsie, died on Monday, March 15, according to his family.
"A legend in his own right and our superhero. He made a huge impact on the people who he’s come in contact with. He will forever live on in our hearts," the family wrote in a statement on Facebook.
A Brooklyn native, McLaurin has lived in the mid-Hudson Valley for more than 40 years.
McLaurin, who worked as a private skills coach, also worked at times as an assistant at Poughkeepsie High School and as the F.D. Roosevelt High School's JV Boys Basketball head coach.
Bobbie Goodman wrote on the HPCSD Sports Page Group: "The FDR coaching staff mourns the loss of JV Boys basketball coach Chris McLaurin. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and friends. RIP coach you will be missed."
And the City of Poughkeepsie Common started the Tuesday, March 16, meeting with a moment of silence for McLaurin who was described as a community leader, coach, and mentor.
During his career, McLaurin played professional basketball in Sweden and Ecuador.
He attended Dutchess Community College, where he met his wife Sonya.
On a GoFundMe page started to help the family cover funereal expenses, friends said: "Chris McLaurin's dedication to the youth of our community has touched the lives of so many families.
"In addition to being an exceptional basketball coach, teaching the importance of teamwork and good sportsmanship, he has been a mentor to young men all over the Hudson Valley, offering advice and guidance in all aspects of their lives."
The GoFundMe page summed up Mclaurin as being "a truly a special person."
A memorial service will begin at 9 a.m. Monday, March 22, at Rhodes Funeral Home in Poughkeepsie.
He leaves behind his wife, Sonya, three children, his mother, and younger brother.
Click here to donate to the GoFundMe effort.
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