Obituary of Mary Capano

Mary T. (Lettieri) Capano, a resident of Burlington for 43 years, passed away at the Woodbriar of Wilmington Nursing Home on Wednesday afternoon, August 22, 2007. The wife of 48 years of Anthony J. Capano, she was 81 years old. Mary was born in Cambridge. She was the daughter of Italian immigrants, the late Benjamin and Mary Lettieri. Mary was raised and educated in Somerville. She worked as an Executive Secretary to a Professor at MIT in Cambridge prior to her marriage. Mary and her husband Tony settled in Burlington where they raised their two children. For 35 years she vacationed in Florida. She also enjoyed visiting such places as California, Seattle, and Laconia, NH. Mary worked as a volunteer for five years at Lahey Clinic in Burlington. Mary’s family was the most important part of her life and she cherished her husband Tony, their two children, her grandchildren, and great granddaughter. Mary is the beloved wife of Anthony J. Capano. She is the loving mother of Lisa & her husband Jonathan Hague of Lowell and Stephen B. Capano & his wife Marcia P. of Burlington. She is the sister of James Lettieri of Laconia, NH, and the late Evelyn Kelleher, Rose Pizzelli, Eleanor Whalen, Connie Flaherty, Michael and Patrick Lettieri. She is the grandmother of Henry and Ashley Pineau, Felicia Fields, Gina and Catarina Capano. She is the great Grandmother of Tiana Mello. Funeral from the Edward V. Sullivan Funeral Home, 43 Winn St., BURLINGTON (Exit 34 off Rt.128, Woburn side) on Saturday, August 25 at 9 a.m. Followed by a Mass of Christian Burial in St. Margaret’s Church, 111 Winn St., Burlington at 10 a.m. Visiting hours Friday 4-8 p.m. Interment in Mount Auburn Cemetery, Cambridge. Memorials in Mary’s name may be made to Woodbriar of Wilmington, 90 West St., Wilmington, MA 01887. About Mary Theresa Capano Born September 10th, 1925 to Benedito and Mary Lettieri the youngest of 8 children. 3 boys, Patsy, Mikey, Jimmy. 5 girls Eleanor, Rosy,Evey, Tina, and Mary or Midg (short for midget). Mary worked for the family moving company that Uncle Jim took over. Then as a private secretary for Professor Taylor at MIT for almost 10 years. In 1958 she married Anthony Capano. They loved to go to Florida for their honeymoon and almost moved there but decided to come back north and save Florida for vacations with the kids. Everyone knows that Mary loved to be dressed fancy and wear her hair in that famous bun. Extremely strong willed, some might call that stubborn. You always knew how she felt about you. She was proud to say that she was spoiled by her family when she was growing up, then she spoiled me, my sister Lisa, my Dad, her grandchildren, and anyone else who walked in our kitchen and enjoyed her talents for Italian dining. My Dad called her soup “belly wash,” and we said RED sauce not gravy. Her knocchi’s and stuffed shells were like tasting a piece of heaven. To me Italian cooking has not been the same without the pepperoni simmered in a red sauce for 6 hours. And oh my, we used to freeze lobster bodies and then simmer them later for a lobster sauce that was out of this world. But I digress. Mary was a stay at home Mom but loved to volunteer and stay involved with our school and sports. She was not afraid to be the ONLY mother SCREAMING on the sidelines of my soccer team. And that was just at practice. You should have seen her during a game. Whoooh. Our house had to be immaculate. She was always either cleaning or chasing me around the kitchen with a broom or the wooden spoon. I remember when she would gain a few pounds mom would do the twist while she dusted and vacuumed. It would have made a great Seinfeld episode. What a dancer huh? Everyone here has probably seen my Dad and Mom dance. Remember how they would dance to every song? That would leave me free to sample champagne in my teens. Again, I digress. My earliest fond memories are Disney World. We went there every April for vacation for maybe over 15 years. So often that I thought the Disney ride called “It’s a Small World” was in New Hampshire. I remember all the awesome weddings, family parties, anniversaries, or reunions we always looked forward to. “Now you look sharp” she would often say. Other phrases we heard often are: Galavanting ; scutch (scucthiligaza), don’t make me tell your father, be home BEFORE the street lights come on. How was I supposed to know BEFORE they came on? She had some great nicknames for people: Stefano Capano when she was mad at me, chunky, chubby, lisa loo, gina dollina, fisha, ashwey, buddy red, tony baloney, aunty ebba debba doo. My mother encouraged me to read the dictionary as a child. I made it to the letter C. She pushed me to always try my hardest. If your going to do something you might as well do it right. Always stand up for what you believe. Trust your instincts. Everything happens for a reason. It will all come out in the wash. How important it is to be clean and neat. Mom we love you, we miss you, and may God be with you!!!