Albert DeCapito

If wishes were tears, our grief would be washed away for the loss of our beloved Albert DeCapito, 92, of 216 Oakgrove St., Ravenna who left us on June 28, 2016. A life-resident of Portage County, he was born at home in Kent, making his appearance on December 28, 1923, one of nine children of Peter Epaldo and Theresa (Filomena) DeCapito.

Mr. DeCapito is a highly decorated WWII Veteran who served proudly with the 204th Anti-aircraft Artillery, U.S. 1st Army in the European Theatre of Wars. As an early inductee he was stationed in England for a time before landing on the shores of Omaha Beach in the Normandy Invasion followed by the confrontation at the Battle of the Bulge. Other areas of duty included Rhineland Combat, Central Europe and Northern France and Germany. He was awarded medals for Army Occupation, WWII Victory, Good Conduct, Army Service, American Campaign, Europe-Africa-Middle East Campaign, Battle of the Bulge Combat Service, Sharpshooters Medal and five Bronze and one Silver Star.

Receiving discharge papers on Dec. 7, 1945, Albert returned to Kent and, along with three other local veterans, briefly owned a taxi service. In 1951 he began work at Gougler Industries where he remained for 34 years. He was a lifetime member of the VFW, a volunteer for RSVP, the Red Cross, United Way and the Portage County Senior Center of Ravenna.

On July 14, 1949 in Cumberland, Maryland, Albert and the former Betty Arlene Opperman were married and celebrated 67 years of loving devotion to each other and their family. During that time they enjoyed golfing, travel to Hawai'i, Florida, New York, Nebraska and Pennsylvania. Their best leisure activity however, was the many weekends of fishing and boating fun on Lake Erie, cruising the Islands to Cedar Point, Pelee & Kelley Islands, Gem Beach, the Lonz Winery and all points of interest in between.

Safe In God's Arms, Now and Forever, this faithful soul will be greatly missed by his family: wife Betty Arlene, daughter Treasure LaRue (Short) Anderson of Columbus, son Barre Alan (Roseann) DeCapito of Ravenna, grandchildren Amber Layne Woodring and (John) Knapp of Columbus, Lance Brooke Woodring of Lakemore, great grandchildren Autum Rae Woodring (Justin) Gruber of Munroe Falls, April LaRayne (Justin) Mallory of Columbus, Reed Lance Woodring of Suffield, great-great grandchildren Kayleigh Jae Gruber, Jayce Blair Mallory, brothers Joseph (Matilda) of Florida, Vincent (Charlotte) of Kent, sister Josephine LeRoy of Brady Lake, many nieces, nephews, and friends in Ohio, Florida, and Escondido, CA. as well as step-granddaughter Tammy Redli, her daughters Christine Ferguson, and Jessica Carpenter and their families in Montana.

Besides his parents, brothers Armand Samuel, Arthur Patrick, Paul Peter, and sisters Antonette "Ann" Hulak, Helen Goff and great-grandson Dennis Blair Johnson, preceded Mr. DeCapito to heavenly peace.

Friends will be received Tuesday, July 5, 2016, from 12:00 – 1:00 PM at the Wood-Kortright-Borkoski Funeral Home, 703 E. Main St., Ravenna. Reverend William Wisniewski will officiate the funeral service at 1:00 PM. Interment will follow at Maple Grove Cemetery with military honors provided by VFW Post 1055 and the U.S. Army Honor Guard.

Condolences and memories may be shared at www.wood-kortright-borkoski.com. Mr. DeCapito requested donations in his name be made to the American Cancer Society or to University Hospitals Hospice Care of Ravenna in lieu of flowers.