Category: Cappiello

Norma is my great aunt, the sister of my father’s [David Lawrence Cappiello] father [Joseph Lawrence Cappiello]. Norma was the youngest of five siblings who all pre-deceased her so Norma’s passing marks the completion of a Cappiello generation spanning from 1912 to 2021. They will all be missed and remembered fondly.

From Family Funeral Home website

Norma Madeline Cappiello Carr • July 3, 1923 – May 12, 2021

Norma Madeline Cappiello Carr, 97, of St. Lawrence, surrounded by family was welcomed into paradise by the angels early Wednesday, May 12, 2021 at the Avera Hand County Hospital in Miller.

Celebrating the journey of an extraordinary woman will be 10:30 a.m., Monday, May 24, 2021 at St. Ann’s Catholic Church, Miller, with Father Paul Josten, celebrant.  Burial will follow at Beulah Cemetery, rural St. Lawrence.  A rosary will be held at 4:30 p.m., Sunday, May 23, 2021 followed by a 5:00 p.m. prayer service, all at the church.

Norma was born July 3, 1923 to Italian immigrants, Salvatore Cappiello and Gilda (Signorelli) Cappiello.  Norma was the third of five children.  She grew up in an extremely close knit Italian family with her cousins being her closest friends.  Her father was a baker, and her mother a seamstress.  Norma attended elementary and middle school at St. Mary’s Catholic School where the nuns taught her penmanship which continued to be her trademark all her life as well as being an exceptional speller. She graduated from East High School in Auburn, New York.   After a tearful departure, her parents put her on a bus to head off to nursing school- three miles from her home- at Auburn Memorial Hospital.  There Norma flourished and graduated with a diploma degree in nursing.  She became head surgical nurse at Auburn Memorial Hospital.  She met the love of her life at the Starlight Bowling Alley outside of Auburn.  When Wayne (an Air Force Air Man) walked into the room, Norma’s best friend told her “there’s the guy for you Cappy”.  It was an instant attraction as Wayne stood 6’7” tall and Norma 5’2”.  They were married a short time later on January 17, 1953 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Auburn, NY.  On their honeymoon they attended the inaugural parade of President Eisenhauer, where they were within touching distance of the president.  From Auburn, New York they moved to Wayne’s family farm north of Vayland, South Dakota, then onto to Melrose Park, Illinois, where Wayne attended National Chiropractic College in Lombard, Illinois.  Norma supported the family working as a surgical nurse.  Following Wayne’s graduation from Chiropractic College, they moved to Miller, South Dakota and established what is now known as Carr Chiropractic Clinic in 1959.  In 1992, they moved out to the family farmhouse north of Vayland, South Dakota.

To this union five children were born: Deb, the only child born in New York; John, Chris, Wayne, and Joe, who were all born in Miller, South Dakota.  Norma devoted her life to raising her children and later worked with her husband at the clinic that they established together.

Norma never stopped learning.  Wayne taught her to drive a car, her children taught her how to ride a bike, and Luella Schultz taught her to swim.  All luxuries she never experienced in her childhood.  To the day she passed, she was always learning and teaching.  She had the ability to touch people in unique ways with her passion for life which was demonstrated over the course of her 97 1/2 years.

During her 60 plus years in Miller, she was a member of Coral Lanes Bowling League, Miller Country Club, Miller Music Parents, South Dakota Chiropractors Auxiliary, (President/Vice President), Dreamers Choral Organization, Miller Booster Club, Founder of the modern-day Homecoming parade, and initiator of “after graduation” parties.  She was an avid sports fan from watching her children and grandchildren to establishing brackets for the NCAA Basketball Tournaments.  Secretly hoping Duke and Syracuse would be in the final game. She claims this last 2021 NCAA game was the best game she ever watched.  She loved all types of music, musicals, old movies, and Frank Sinatra and Dean Martin were some of her favorites. 

Norma’s nonwavering faith was the root of all her goodness.  Her Catholic faith was extremely important to her.  Norma had a role in the church her entire life, from a little girl in a Catholic school to serving as CCD teacher and principal.  In her 60+ years at St. Ann’s, she was a member of St. Ann’s Choir and St. Ursula’s Altar Society.  She spent the last several years facilitating the prayer calls and felt privileged to be in such a role. Norma was an avid reader, as she recently visited the library checking out 3 books that promised to take her on new adventures.  She was a proud member of the same bridge club for 60 plus years, which kept her mind so keen.  Norma was a several decade members of the P.E.O. sisterhood.  She cherished the deep friendships she developed through P.E.O. Chapter AK, and bridge club. 

Norma excelled in supporting all her children and grandchildren through the many passions and difficulties in their lives.  Tending her legacy and preserving her stories are her children: Deborah of Spearfish, SD; John (Michelle) of Miller, SD; Chris (Jim) Keeter of St. Lawrence, SD; Wayne (Kathy) of Huron, SD; and Joe (Lisa) of Huron, SD; grandchildren: Josh (Bridget), Hans Nelson, Bjorn (Devon) Nelson, Taylor (Brooke), Lucas, William, Caleb, Sarah, Samuel, Peyton, Annie (Landon) Gatzke, Isaac, and Chloe; great-grandchildren: Noah, Avery, Finley, Harrison, Halloway, Crosby, Elsie; and numerous nephews and nieces. 

Norma was preceded in death by her parents; sisters, Mary and Delores; brothers, Joseph and Michael; husband, Wayne; grandson, Beau Keeter; granddaughter, Nikki Carr; and numerous relatives and dear friends.

Reck Funeral Home of Miller has been entrusted with Norma’s arrangements. 

Post: Wise Words from Norma Cappiello Carr (video & transcription)

Arthur is my 2nd cousin 1 x removed. His mother Madeline M. Iacovino is the daughter of Maria Carmina Cappiello who is the sister of my great-grandfather Salvatore Cappiello.

Arthur M. Tasker • October 29, 1939 ~ November 8, 2020 (age 81)

Arthur M. Tasker died at Stony Brook Eastern Long Island Hospital, Greenport NY, on November 8, 2020. He was born in the same hospital on October 29, 1939, a few minutes before his twin, John Tasker (d 2016) to Madeline Iacovino, homemaker and a founder of the Greenport Shakespeare Club (d 1977) and Henry Tasker, attorney; Suffolk County D.A.; Justice, New York State Supreme Court (d 1987).

Arthur attended the Greenport Schools, graduating as Valedictorian in 1957.

At Cornell University (’61), he earned a Bachelor of Metallurgical Engineering degree on a full scholarship from Grumman. He was a member of Phi Kappa Psi fraternity and often said he enjoyed “a complete undergraduate experience” — that did not include the Dean’s List.

After graduation Arthur joined Texas Instruments in Attleboro MA, where he worked on a team building nuclear reactors for Admiral Hyman Rickover’s Navy. Thereafter he worked in industrial marketing at Allied Chemical in Morristown NJ and at the World Gold Council in New York City as International Industrial Marketing Director promoting gold usage in industry and dentistry. At the age of 49 he decided to go to law school: “It was the family business, but I got interested long after my father would have paid for it.” He graduated magna cum laude from The Benjamin Cardozo School of Law in 1992. He practiced with a corporate firm, subsequently in partnership with a Cardozo classmate and as a solo practitioner.

In retirement Arthur and his wife of 40 years, Lucia (Staniels), owned and operated a joint exhibit for American children’s book publishers at the annual Bologna Children’s Book Fair in Italy. They traveled widely in Europe, as well as to Egypt and Jordan just before the Arab Spring, the Galapagos, Canada and throughout the United States.

Arthur was an avid fly fisher and was active in the Nature Conservancy and the Peconic Land Trust, including the Project Committee. In recent years he enjoyed growing, eating and sharing oysters he raised in front of his Sandy Beach cottage in conjunction with Cornell’s SPAT program.. He served on the Greenport Village Zoning Board of Appeals, was a reasonably frequent, perhaps not always gladly welcomed, speaker/contributor to discussions of Village Board issues. He was a member of Peconic Landing’s Buildings & Grounds Committee, serving two terms as Chair. A fifth-generation Greenporter, he was featured in Andrea Cotes’ “Port of Views” historical show in Mitchell Park in 2015.

Arthur was a nurturer, with boundless curiosity and a virtually bottomless “idiot’s ditty bag,” as he called it, and which had a capacious side pocket for risque limericks. He could talk to virtually anybody about something and was a good storyteller. He spoke French and Italian and liked good food, good drink–especially Balvenie whiskey—and good design. His retentive memory could call up virtually every meal eaten in every trattoria in every hill town in Italy. His daughter lovingly referred to him as the Walking Encyclopedia.

Arthur dealt handily with plumbing, electrical, construction & carpentry matters. He taught his daughter how to shingle a roof (with help with some friends) and that she could fix or make almost anything. He attributed his cooking skills (“man cook meat,” said with a Tarzan swagger) to watching a cranky chef while working a split shift at Porky’s restaurant at age 14.

Social liberal, political centrist, fiscal conservative, spiritual seeker, Arthur believed in science, the power of technology for good and bad; the power of mankind for same; and the miracle of the universe.

In addition to his wife he is survived by his beloved daughter, Alex Marx, son-in-law Peter, 16-year-old grandson Theo, who live in Los Angeles, and many cherished friends and relatives.

Private burial will be followed by a memorial gathering later. Arrangements by Horton-Mathie. Memorial donations may be made to SBELIH, or the Peconic Land Trust.

Please add your memories of Arthur below in the comments. If you’d like to submit a photo to add to Arthur’s slideshow, please contact me HERE.

Mary, my great-aunt, is the sister of my grandfather Joseph Lawrence Cappiello who is the father of my father David Lawrence Cappiello.

AUBURN – Mary Cappiello, 92, of 20 Park Ave., Auburn, passed away peacefully Thursday, April 9, 2009, at Auburn Memorial Hospital. She was born in Auburn, the daughter of the late Salvatore and Gilda Signorelli Cappiello and had been a life resident.

Mary was a communicant of St. Mary’s Church and was the first patient admitted to the Finger Lakes Center for Living in Auburn. Prior to her retirement, Mary had been employed for more than 25 years as a secretary for the former Auburn Plastics.

She is survived by her loving sister, Norma Carr of South Dakota; five nephews, Joseph Cappiello and his wife, Gill, of Chicago, Ill., Dr. David Cappiello and his wife, Trudy, of North Carolina, Dr. John Carr and his wife, Michelle of South Dakota, Dr. Joseph Carr and his wife, Lisa, South Dakota, Dr. Wayne Carr and his wife, Kathy, of South Dakota; two nieces, Deborah Carr Caldwell of South Dakota, Chris Keeter and her husband, Jim of South Dakota; many great-nieces, great-nephews and cousins.

In addition to her parents, Mary was predeceased by a beloved brother, Joseph Cappiello in May 2006. Friends and relatives are invited to join the family at 12 p.m. Tuesday in St. Mary”s Church for Mary’s Mass of Christian burial with the Rev. Frank Lioi, pastor, as celebrant. Burial will be in St. Joseph”s Cemetery. Calling hours will be 4 to 7 p.m. Monday at Pettigrass Funeral Home, 196 Genesee St. Auburn.

Due to the great care that was given to Mary over the many years spent at Finger Lakes Center for Living, the family requests that contributions be made to the nursing home at 20 Park Ave., Auburn, NY 13021, in her memory. To send a message to the family, sign our guest book at www.auburnpub.com and click on obituaries.

Please add your memories of Mary below in the comments. If you’d like to submit a photo to add to Mary’s slideshow, please contact me HERE.

Joseph, my grandfather, is the father of my father David Lawrence Cappiello.

Joseph L. Cappiello

AUBURN ­- Joseph L. Cappiello, 94, of 6 Adams Ave., Auburn, passed away Wednesday, May 31, 2006, at Auburn Memorial Hospital. He was born in Auburn, the son of the late Salvatore and Gilda Signorelli Cappiello, and had been a life resident.

He was a communicant of Sacred Heart Church. Mr. Cappiello graduated from Auburn Academic High, class of 1931, where he excelled in football and was captain of the track team.

Joe was an accomplished musician, having taught piano for more than 60 years. He was a music arranger for the former Cayugans and also the leader of an orchestra for numerous years. Mr. Cappiello was a member of the Federated Association of Musicians Local 78. Joe was an avid New York Giants football fan and enjoyed the many hours he spent collecting stamps.

He is survived by his two loving sons, David L. Cappiello M.D. and his wife, Trudy, of Asheville, N.C., and Joseph L. Cappiello Jr., and his wife, Gillian, of Elmhurst, Ill.; two sisters, Mary Cappiello of Auburn and Norma Carr of St. Lawrence, S.D.; four grandchildren, Michael and Joseph Dutilly, David Cappiello Jr. and Carla Golden; two great-grandchildren, Julia Cappiello and Bella Golden; as well as several nieces, nephews, cousins; and his very close canine companion, Bianca.

Friends and relatives are invited to join the family at 10 a.m. Saturday, in Sacred Heart Church for Joseph’s Mass of Christian burial. Interment will be in St. Joseph”s Cemetery. Calling hours will be held from 4 to 7 p.m. today, at the Pettigrass Funeral Home, 196 Genesee St., Auburn. Contributions may be made in Joseph”s memory to a charity of one”s choice. To send a message to the family, sign our guest book at www.auburnpub.com and click on obituaries.

Please add your memories of Joe below in the comments. If you’d like to submit a photo to add to Joe’s slideshow, please contact me HERE.

Beau, my 2nd cousin, is is the son of Christine Alice Carr Keeter who is the daughter of Norma Madeline Cappiello Carr who is the sister of my grandfather Joseph Lawrence Cappiello.

Beau Keeter • May 11, 1996 – September 23, 2015

Beau James Keeter, 19, of St. Lawrence, South Dakota went to be with Jesus on Wednesday, September 23, 2015 at Dakota Wesleyan University in Mitchell, South Dakota

Celebration of Beau’s Life was held at 10:30 a.m., Wednesday, September 30, 2015 at the Miller Armory with Rev. Matt Richards officiating with a meal to follow at the Miller Community Center. Burial was held at 3:00 p.m., Wednesday, September 30, at Beulah Cemetery, rural St. Lawrence. Visitation began at 6:00 p.m., Tuesday, September 29, 2015 with a 7:00 p.m. prayer service, all at the First Methodist Church, Miller.

Beau James Keeter was born on May 11, 1996 in Aberdeen, South Dakota to Jim and Christine (Carr) Keeter. His sister Annie Cappiello Keeter joined the family on March 5, 1999 to make their family complete. Beau grew up on the family farm outside of St. Lawrence and attended Miller schools all 13 years of his education. Beau proudly graduated as a Miller Rustler in May of 2015 with honors. Beau was a member of Miller First United Methodist Church his entire life and was confirmed in his faith in 2010.

Beau had just begun his college career at Dakota Wesleyan University, pursuing a degree in Athletic Training. He received the Bishop Leadership Award for his leadership potential and his commitment to serving others; as well as an Academic & Athletic Scholarship and a United Methodist Scholarship.

Beau grew up helping his dad on the farm and grew to work alongside him as a hard-working young man. Beau spent many summers “laying fabric” with his sister, father, cousins and grandfather. This provided him with the spending money to build his basketball, sock, shoes and song collections throughout the years.

Beau was an awesome big brother to Annie and he loved her as much as any brother could. The two played, worked, and got into mischief together as soon as Annie was old enough to walk. His sister Annie was his lifelong best friend.

Beau loved his mother immensely and they were very close. He knew he could talk to her about anything and Chrissy was his greatest fan on every athletic and academic “sideline!” Beau’s second greatest fan was his grandmother, Norma Carr, who seldom missed a game and never missed the opportunity to encourage him to follow his dreams.

As Beau grew taller and taller his athletic ability grew as well and he became an amazing basketball player. Of course working on a farm requires a great amount of time and Beau’s dad Jimmy soon realized that basketball was a very important part of Beau’s life, so he gave him the gift of time to follow his passion for basketball. This passion blossomed Beau into the player he was and he played varsity basketball for three years for the Miller Rustlers, scoring over 1,000 points during this 3-year career. He loved everything about being a Miller Rustler basketball player. In August of 2015 Beau joined the Dakota Wesleyan Tiger Basketball team and was excited to participate in a college basketball program and was recently selected for the varsity basketball practice squad.

But as amazing of a basketball player he was, it is not basketball that he will be remembered for. It was Beau’s smile each time he entered a room that he will be remembered for. That smile was there because he was happy with who he was and where he was from and content in his faith in God. He was friendly with everyone he met and always saw the best in anyone he encountered. This happiness resonated from him and touched the lives of many, many people. Beau James Keeter, you will be missed by every one of those lives you touched.

Beau is survived by his parents Jim and Christine Keeter, his sister Annie, grandparents Norma Carr and James Keeter; aunts and uncles including Deb Carr, John & Michelle Carr, Wayne & Kathy Carr, Joe & Lisa Carr, Chad & Laura Cooney, Julie Keeter, Bob & Della Stallard; cousins including Josh, Bridget, Noah and Avery Carr, Hans Nelson, Nikki Carr, Bjorn & Devon Nelson, Taylor, Brooke and Finley Carr, Luke Carr, Caleb Carr, Will Carr, Peyton Carr, Sam Carr, Sarah Carr, Isaac Carr, Chloe Carr, Austin & Stephanie Stallard, Emily Stallard, Ethan Stallard, Cole Stallard, and Savanah Cooney.

Beau is preceded in death by his grandfather, Wayne Carr and grandmother, Dawn Keeter.

We would like to thank the administration, faculty, and students of Dakota Wesleyan University for their love and support during this difficult time. In the short amount of time that Beau attended your school, he truly felt a part of the Tiger Family. Beau loved his time at DWU!

In lieu of flowers a memorial fund has been established in memory of Beau Keeter.

Reck Funeral Home of Miller has been entrusted with Beau’s arrangement.

Please add your memories of Beau below in the comments. If you’d like to submit a photo to add to Beau’s slideshow, please contact me HERE.