A retired Middletown police lieutenant, best known for notifying the families in town about lost loved ones in the Sept. 11 attacks, was laid to rest Monday.

Lt. Joseph Capriotti died last week. He was known as “The Keeper of the List” because it was his duty in the weeks and months that followed the Sept. 11 attacks to notify the family members of lost loved ones. It was a job that he didn’t ask for or seek out, but one that he performed with honor and grace.

“It was a result of his assignment as head of investigations as a detective lieutenant,” says Middletown Police Chief Craig Weber.

Lt. Capriotti had to deliver the news to 36 Middletown families following the attacks. He then forged friendships and relationships with those families and fought for their memories and their causes for years afterward.

“Joe was probably the right person to do that because he had that sort of comforting manner about him. That’s probably the toughest thing he ever had to do,” says former Middletown Mayor Gerry Scharfenberger.

Many of those families attended Lt. Capriotti’s funeral Monday

Lt. Capriotti served almost 30 years as a Middletown police officer. He retired in 2010.