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STAFF SPOTLIGHT - Joe Capuano, Funeral Director - Small but Mighty

By: Andrea Ruggieri

Wednesday, July 12, 2017

Before we dive deep into the history of Joe Capuano, here’s a little “Joe Trivia:” Why the photo banner showcasing skateboarding? Many years ago, Joe decided at his daughter’s birthday party to demonstrate his superior skateboarding skills. As you can see in the picture, this ended in a cast on his ankle. For sure, this is just one of his arsenal of life experiences in gaining wisdom. Maybe you can relate!

He may be small in stature, but has the heart of a giant. We are fortunate at Bartolomeo & Perotto Funeral Home & Walker Brothers Funeral Home to have Joe Capuano on our team. He probably knows more about the history and evolution of funeral care than most, dating back to the early 1960s! As with many funeral directors that have been serving families as long as he has, he was born into a family who provided funeral care.

From the ripe old age of eight, he watched his grandparents as they cared for many in their time of need. He recalls being on the 2nd floor of the funeral home and hearing wailing and crying and wondered what was going on downstairs. Surprising that this eight-year-old’s curiosity got the best of him, and of course he wandered down pajamas and all, to investigate. What he saw had an impact on his life. As he watched his grandfather embrace those who were in obvious distress and bring peace to those who needed calm, he knew early on that what he was doing was important. He stood there in awe and felt great pride in what he was seeing. Joe witnessed first-hand the respect and consideration so many people gave his grandfather in return for what was given to them.

Joe spent many years with his grandfather during the formative years of his life, running funeral-related errands such as placing obituaries at the newspaper or making arrangements at the cemetery. During this time they became very close and eventually it naturally made sense for him to follow the same path into funeral care.

Some of you may be aware we have TWO Joes on staff (…don’t worry, the Joe Bianchi Spotlight is coming down the pike!). Both are respected funeral directors and both are passionate about serving our families with the great sensitivity and attention to detail. Joe Capuano met the Perotto family through professional networking and has worked with them in varying capacities for over 30 years. Many of us who work with Joe personally know how dedicated he is to making sure all of the families he works with have the best experience during what can be a very stressful and emotional time. He works with all of our staff to achieve the common goal of taking care of as many details as possible so that families and friends of lost loved ones don’t have to. Joe is always at the ready to lend a helping hand to anyone here who needs it to help get the job done.

Though Joe is very passionate about his work, he also has great love for his family. After many years of making copious sacrifices to family time, he is slowly starting down the road of retirement (not there quite yet!). Joe and his lovely wife Phyllis have helped in raising two daughters and his best buddy Frankie (his grandson). His work routine is changing and he is enjoying being able to spend more time with his family and wife. Trips to Florida and the occasional cruise around the turquoise waters of the Caribbean are definitely part of that routine. This is the life right?! For Joe, shifting his focus is a gradual transition. Who knows, maybe someday he might actually be swayed by flying porpoises and sandy beaches to a lifestyle where he can comfortably serve his own needs.