Ritta Loretta Capone's Obituary
Ritta Loretta (Capaldi) Capone ended her long journey peacefully with her family on December 11, 2020. Ritta was born on June 21, 1922 in South Philadelphia, a first -generation Italian-American. Ritta attended South Philadelphia High School where she met her future husband, Edward C. Capone in 1938. After high school graduation, Ritta worked at the Philadelphia Navy Yard until she and Ed were married in 1945 at Sacred Heart Church in South Philadelphia. Ritta was a homemaker and loving mother to her two children and later reentered the workforce at Computer Sciences Corporation in Moorestown, NJ, where she worked her way up from switchboard operator to security manager before retiring at the age of 74. No one who knew Ritta will forget her charm, her style, and mostly her cooking, in particular, her amazing “Gravy” or Salsa Semplice. Ritta and Ed moved to Clearwater, Florida in 2003. Ed passed away in 2004. Ritta was an active member of the Christian Council of Women at St Brendan’s Church.
Ritta is predeceased by her husband and her beloved nephew, Richard Tirotti and is survived by her children Edward Anthony Capone, DO, and his wife, Karen of Clearwater, FL; her daughter, Adrienne Capone, Ed.D. and her partner, James Lombard of Collingswood, NJ; her grandchildren, Heather A Woodfield of Brooklyn, NY and Natalie Capone Rodriguez, her husband Mario, and her cherished great grandson, Dylan Humberto, of Tampa, FL. Ritta is also survived by her sister-in law and lifelong friend, Lee Ann Chellemi, her nieces and nephews, Bette Ann Tirotti, Bette Ann’s children, Wendy, Tracy, and Bill Tirotti along with Gregory, Linda (Siegel), Neil, and Donna (Roof) Capaldi, John, David, Daniel, Richard, Roy and Barbara Chellemi, and Claire and Richard Capone along with Ritta’s great nieces and nephews. The children of Ritta and Ed’s closest friends, the Massimianos, also loved and will remember Aunt Ritta.
A Catholic Funeral Mass will be held at St. Brendan’s Church, Clearwater, FL, at a later date in the Spring. Interment will be in Holy Cross Cemetery in Yeadon, PA later in 2021 when family gatherings are safe. Family and friends will be invited to attend and celebrate her long life at that time. Please leave thoughts and remembrances here. To obtain the family address for personal notes, please contact the family at [email protected].
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