GREENE – Edward A. Capra, a naitve of Greene, passed away Nov. 6, 2007. He was 68.
Edward was born on Feb. 11, 1939 to Mary (English) Capra and Edward A. Capra and raised in Greene. The second of five children, he grew up on a dairy farm, graduating from Greene High School in 1957. He attended Cornell University in Ithaca, receiving a Bachelors Degree in 1961 and a Masters Degree in 1963, both in Agricultural Economics. He played football at Cornell and coached the 150 pound football team. In December of 1963, Ed married his college sweetheart, Mary Deitrich.
After the early years in Rochester and Chicago, the family relocated to Pittsburgh, PA in 1969 where Ed continued a long and successful banking career. In 1982, the family moved to Cheyenne, Wyo. to pursue a lifelong dream to live in the wide open spaces of the West. In 1988, Ed and Mary relocated to Greeley, Colo. where he worked as a community bank leader. His banking career culminated in his role as the founding President & CEO of Weld County Bank which subsequently was renamed Bank of Choice. He was a champion for his northern Colorado customers and a leader and mentor for his employees. Ed relished his role as a financial advisor and partner with many, many small business owners throughout the area to help them be financially successful and positive contributors to the community.
Outside of work, Ed was a loyal and dedicated husband and father. His primary hobbies were investing, skiing and golf which he shared with his family and pursued with equal passion. As an investor, he took great pride in helping others learn to save and grow their own money and was able to translate complicated financial ideas into simple concepts for all to use. As a skier, Ed truly enjoyed the Colorado mountains and loved to ski with his family and friends over the course of 20+ years. He loved the fresh air and freedom of the big wide slopes. A dedicated golfer, Ed would buy golf club parts and assemble new clubs in the garage. He was forever perfecting his chip shots in the back yard and putting in the living room. Some of his favorite times were “hittin’ ‘em straight” down the fairway.
At the age of 64, Ed was diagnosed with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), a chronic progressive lung disease for which there is no known cure. He received a lung transplant in August of 2005 which extended his life for over 2 years. Ed passed away on Nov. 6, 2007 at his home.
Survivors: His wife, Mary Capra of Greeley; his son Jeff Capra, his wife Laura Britt and their son Ethan Capra of Austin, Texas; his daughter Beth Capra and her partner June Dirstine and their daughter Tia Capra of Denver, Colo.; his brother Richard Capra and his wife Francis Capra of Greene, and their four sons; his sister Linda Bruno and her husband Nick Bruno of Hammond, LA and their two daughters; the five children of Catherine Capra Butler; and a great-niece and numerous great-nephews.
Preceded in death by: His sister, Catherine Capra Butler of Austin, Texas; and his brother Carl Capra of Burlington, Vermont.
Family will receive friends from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday at the Allnutt Funeral Service – Macy Chapel, Greeley, Colo.
Funeral service 11 a.m. Monday, Nov. 12 at St. Mary’s Catholic Church, Greeley, Colo.
In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made in Ed’s memory to the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation or Meals on Wheels of Greeley & Weld County in care of Allnutt Funeral Service 702 13th Street, Greeley, CO 80631. The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation is an organization dedicated to researching the cause of IPF and the development of treatment options for patients.
Friends may view the online obit, sign the guest book and send condolences at www.allnutt.com.