Joseph Frank Capuzzo

Joe was a lifelong resident of Emerson, N.J. He graduated from Emerson Public School in 1946 and Westwood High School in 1950. He served in the Air Force from 1952 – 1956 with the 3554th Armament & Electronic Maintenance Squadron (ATC) at Perrin Air Force Base in Texas and received the National Defense Service Medal. He earned a B.A. from Fairleigh Dickinson University in 1959, an M.A. from Teachers College, Columbia University in 1960, and an M.A. from Jersey City State College in 1970.

Joe was a longtime employee of the Westwood Public School District where he taught special education. He organized the Westwood Regional Organization for Special Education (WROSE), a support group for parents of special education students, as well as the Saturday Morning Program which provided games, snacks, and arts & crafts activities for special education students in the district.

Joe was a participant in the TEMPO study of the Parkinson’s drug rasagiline in the late 1990’s. The drug was shown to slow down the progression of symptoms of Parkinson’s and was ultimately approved by the FDA under the name Azilect. Joe shared his experience as a member of the Northern Valley Parkinson’s Support Group where he made many valued friends.

Joe was also a volunteer host at the Overflow Shelter Program at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Harrington Park, N.J.

Joe is survived by his two sons, Guy M. Capuzzo of Greensboro, N.C., and Paul M. Capuzzo of Pompton Plains, N.J.; two beloved grandsons, Joseph E. Capuzzo and Matthew J. Capuzzo; his sister Lucy Lauer of River Vale, N.J.; his niece Susan Gabaccia and her husband Gary of Woodcliff Lake, N.J.; his nephew Mark Lauer of Waterloo, Canada; his sister-in-law Mary Ann Capuzzo of Emerson, N.J.; his niece Debbie Capuzzo Gillies of Wanaque, N.J.; his nephew Thomas J. Capuzzo of Ringwood, N.J.; his cousin Elaine Hernandez of Beachwood, N.J.; his cousin Loraine Calderone of Astoria, N.Y.; and his cousin Joseph Colacicco of Long Beach, N.Y.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be sent to The Parkinson’s Foundation (Parkinson.org) or Running Strong for American Indian Youth (indianyouth.org).