Louis J. Capasso, Jr. Obituary (1938

It is with heavy hearts that we share the passing of our father, Louis J. Capasso, Jr, age 86, on Friday, August 1, 2025. Formerly of Chelmsford, he was the son of the late Louis Capasso, Sr. and Rollande (Fournier) LaBrie, and the beloved husband of Patricia (Cavanaugh) Capasso, with whom he had shared 68 happy years of marriage prior to her passing on May 30, 2024. Louis was a man of great warmth, integrity and wisdom, which are values that he instilled in his four daughters and his grandchildren. He was not a man to mince words or to suffer fools, and he lived his life by a code of honor that few could match. He had beautiful blue eyes that sparkled with warmth and pride when he spoke about his "girls," that pierced the soul when he was displeased, and that had a devilish gleam to them when he was up to no good. He was born in Trenton, New Jersey on December 24, 1938, and raised in Lowell, MA. After graduating from high school at the early age of 16, after being double promoted twice during elementary school, he enlisted in the United States Navy at age 17, where he served proudly as an in-flight Aviation Radar Technician for Patrol Squadron 44 aboard US Naval ships in the Atlantic Ocean. He was extremely proud to serve his country, and during his time in the Navy, he developed deep and enduring friendships with his "Navy Crew" whom he came to consider "brothers." He and Pat enjoyed spending the month of February in Florida with their Navy family for many years following their retirement After leaving the Navy, Louis earned a degree in Electrical Engineering from Lowell Technical College, now known as the University of Massachusetts, Lowell, while raising a family and working full time. This is where he began showing his young family the power of hard work and perseverance. He began his engineering career at Raytheon Corporation in Bedford, MA, where he worked in Advanced Missile and Radar Development in the post-cold-war era. He later became a National Sales Manager for Lambda Electronics. In the early 1980s Louis and close colleague, Dick McHale, founded Power Associates, Inc, of which Louis later became sole owner and CEO. Louis and Pat worked side by side throughout life to provide their children with the idyllic, happy childhood and strong family foundation they each dreamed of in their youth, with a strong focus on giving them a sound education and every opportunity to succeed in life. They were always there for those they loved, ready to provide a hug, support and advice, even if that occasionally included a hearty dose of "tough love." A fierce protector of his family, Louis taught his daughters to be strong and independent, and how to think for themselves. He showed them how to swing a baseball bat and a hammer, how to change their tires, check their car's oil, and not to put up with any nonsense. He coached their championship winning town softball teams and was a volunteer fireman when the family was very young. He was also a man of deep faith who was an altar boy in his youth and later assisted with collections while attending Sunday mass at Sacred Heart Church in Lowell. Ever the handyman, Louis was always fixing things and available to help others when needed. He particularly loved working in his yard and had a passion for automobiles. He could be found washing and polishing his cars in his driveway most weekends when the weather permitted, and while living at home, his daughters never rolled out of the driveway without having the air in their tires and the oil and windshield fluid checked. His activities became limited in his waning years due to being struck by a car while crossing the street in 2018, and the debilitating effects of Parkinson's Disease. Prior to this, he had been an avid tennis player who exercised regularly. His favorite past times were spinning his beloved "Patsy" around the dance floor and taking long daily walks with her during sunshine or rain. They loved taking daytrips to Ogunquit, Maine to stroll along the Marginal Way, followed by a robust lobster feast. Louis and Pat also enjoyed many weekend road trips and adventures on the motorcycle with their very dear friends, Roger and Janet Peterson. Louis always looked forward to lunches with "the guys" (Joe Mercuri & Carmen Sarno), who remained loyal and cherished friends until the very end. Louis always enjoyed meeting new people and trying new things, and he loved a good laugh. But he was a man with simple needs who enjoyed nothing more than a home-cooked meal, a good martini, and spending time with loved ones. He lived an admirable life that was full of love and devotion to his family, his faith and his country. He is survived by his four devoted daughters, Kathy Capasso of Ayer, Debbie Capasso of Castleton, VA, Elizabeth Capasso of Nashua, NH, and Deanna Hohmann and her husband Rick Hohmann of Chelmsford; his 4 grandchildren, Ashley Beek and her husband Steve of Dracut, Daniel Cooke of Nashua, NH, Catherine Keller and her husband Mark of Westford, and Matthew Hohmann of S. Boston; and his 3 great grandchildren, Kylie, Joshua, and Grace. He also leaves behind his beloved sister, Cynthia Trudel and her husband Dennis of Bow, NH and their children Lynn and Joe Trudel; his step brother's John and Steve Capasso; his sister-in-law, Lucille Cavanaugh; nieces Cindi (Cavanaugh) Paige, Doreen (Cavanaugh) Gallant and nephew, William ('Billy') Cavanaugh of Tyngsboro; and the family of dear friends Donald and Ellen Guilbeault (Donald, Karen, Debbie and Patty). He is predeceased by his parents and brothers Kenneth and David Labrie; brother-in-law, William Cavanaugh; and several cherished life-long friends. He will be dearly missed by all who loved him, particularly his daughters, his sister and his grandchildren, and those who looked upon him as a second father, his nephew Billy Cavanaugh and Donald Guilbeault. Visiting hours will be held on Thursday, August 7, 2025 from 4-7pm at the BLAKE CHELMSFORD FUNERAL HOME, 24 Worthen St., CHELMSFORD. His funeral service will be held in the funeral home on Friday, August 8, 2025 at 10am followed by his interment together with his wife Patricia, at St. Joseph's Cemetery in Chelmsford, MA. In lieu of flowers, the family asks those interested donate to The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research at michaeljfox.org or the Stephen Stiller Tunnel to Towers Foundation.