Joseph Del Ponte, Public Relations Executive, 39

Joseph Del Ponte, a public relations executive who was an advocate for people with AIDS, died on Wednesday at New York Hospital-Cornell Medical Center. He was 39 and lived in Manhattan.

The cause was AIDS-related, said a friend, Paul Donaher.

Mr. Del Ponte was most recently director of communications for the Gay Men's Health Crisis, the AIDS service organization, which he joined in 1992. He orchestrated the media campaign for the AIDS march in Washington two years ago.

He also held public-affairs positions at Boys Clubs of America, Columbia-Presbyterian Medical Center Fund, New England Medical Center and Brooklyn Hospital Center.

Mr. Del Ponte was born in Boston and graduated from Harvard College and the Columbia University Graduate School of Journalism.

He is survived by a brother, James, of Somerville, Mass.

(New York Times, June 3, 1995, Saturday, Late Edition - Final)

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