BORN

1937

DIED

2016

FUNERAL HOME

Fletcher Funeral Home

33 Marlboro Street

Keene, New Hampshire

Richard Capelle Obituary

Published by Legacy Remembers on Oct. 9, 2016.

On Thursday, October 6, 2016, Richard Ira Capelle, age 79, passed away peacefully with his family at his side at Dartmouth-Hitchcock Hospital in Lebanon, New Hampshire.

He was one of 5 children (Jackie Capelle Frank of Naples, Florida; Kenneth Earl Capelle, deceased; Robert Capelle, deceased; and Karen Capelle Daugherty of Hiawassee, Georgia) born to Ira Richard and Aimee Cecelia (Dignin) Capelle, in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin on January 25, 1937.

Richard, or "Dick" as he was called by his family and friends, moved from Wisconsin at the age of 10 with his family to Naples, Florida. He grew up there and attended Naples High School until his graduation in 1955. He later attended The University of Miami as a freshman studying Engineering, and became a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity. In 1956 he answered the call to serve his country in the United States Army where he was an Operations and Intelligence Specialist until 1958. During this time while on leave, Dick met his future wife, Carole Lee Cameron. They wrote to each other during their courtship while he was stationed at Fort Polk, Louisiana, and were married on November 29, 1958 in Naples. Afterward, Dick and Carole moved to Lakeland, Florida and he returned to school to continue his studies in Engineering at Florida Southern University. While there, they started their family and made another move to Carole's hometown of Keene, New Hampshire where Dick worked with and learned about the paving business from his father-in-law, Richard C. Cameron. After a year, Dick's father asked him to come back to Naples and work with him in his company, Naples Construction Company, which later became First Florida Resource Corporation. After a few years, Dick started his own construction company called Naples Structures, and he built many houses, condominiums and office buildings in the area up until 1972. At that point, another move found the Capelle family in Atlanta, Georgia where they lived until 1987. Dick was a project manager for P. C. Dinkins Construction, and was Director of Construction for Laing Properties. In addition, he was self-employed as a construction consultant during their time in Atlanta. Moving wherever his work took him, Dick and Carole spent time in Narragansett, Rhode Island, and Chicago, Illinois. While in Chicago, he worked for Gray International, which marked a turning point in his career. This was because he entered a new and exciting field of construction with industrial process piping as a senior estimator and project manager. When Carole's father passed away, the couple returned to Keene, New Hampshire to be closer to Carole's mother, Jessica Tracy Cameron. They built a year round home together there in Munsonville, New Hampshire. In 1998, Dick started working as a project manager, purchasing and scheduling agent and estimator with his eldest son's company, CRC Steel, right up until his recent illness. To hear his son tell it, however, "Dad did everything." Those who love him best know that Dick loved to work and he never thought of retirement as something he ever expected to do because he derived so much enjoyment from it.

However, while his pride in a job well done is known to many, Dick was devoted to his family, his country and the outdoors. Dick's love for his family knew no bounds. He had great pride in his beautiful wife of almost 58 years, his three children and 6 grandchildren. While living in Naples, he spent time in the Everglades, Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary and at the beach. He held a lifelong passion for horses and raised purebred Arabians and Tennessee Walking horses. He also loved hunting and fishing, and spent a lot of time in the mountains in Maine enjoying time with his children and grandchildren as he taught them how to live off the land. His family doubts if there is anyone they know who was as patriotic as he was. He was a staunch defender of the 2nd Amendment and was a lifetime member of the NRA. Many a conversation with family and friends alike started with his take on the daily news affecting our country. He had great concern for our nation and expressed his opinions freely and always listened intently to the opinions of family, friends and acquaintances.

Dick Capelle is survived by his wife, Carole Lee (Cameron) Capelle; his daughter and son-in-law, Julie Elaine (Capelle) and Joe Coleman and grandson, Nicholas Lee Coleman of Douglasville, Georgia; his son and daughter-in-law, Christopher Richard and Tonya (Holsomback) Capelle, grandson Cameron Walker Capelle, and granddaughter Emma Kate Capelle of Auburn, Georgia, and granddaughter and her husband Elizabeth Leighton West and Corey West of Kingwood, West Virginia; his son and daughter-in-law, Craig David and Crystal (Davis) Capelle, and grandson Jacob Carlton Capelle and granddaughter Sarah Grace Capelle of Dallas, Georgia. Dick is also survived by his two sisters, Jackie Capelle Frank of Naples, Florida, and Karen Capelle Daugherty of Hiawassee, Georgia and sister in law, Sandy Capelle of Chiefland ,Florida as well as 7 nieces and 5 nephews in Florida, Georgia, and Washington State.

His family will never forget this exceptional man who touched their lives with so much love for them, his country and the great, magnificent land we live in.

Family and friends are invited to call on the family on Sunday, October 16 from 2 to 4 p.m. at the Fletcher Funeral Home, 33 Marlboro St., Keene. A funeral service will be held at First Baptist Church of Keene, 105 Maple Ave., on Monday, October 17 at 10:00 a.m. A graveside service will follow at West Cemetery on Bradford Road, Keene.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to First Baptist Church of Keene, 105 Maple Ave., Keene, N.H. 03431, or they can be made to Dartmouth Hitchcock Health, (for the Jack Byrne Center for Palliative and Hospice Care) to the Attention of Richard Peck, c/o Office of Development, 1 Medical Center Drive, Lebanon, N.H. 03756.

To plant trees in memory, please visit the Sympathy Store.

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6 Entries

October 17, 2016

Tim "Scot" and Barbara Daugherty

Dear Aunt Carole, Julie, Chris, Craig and family. May the Lord Jesus Christ comfort you all with His love, presence, and peace. Uncle Dick will be deeply missed!

October 15, 2016

Amy Henry

My thoughts and prayers are with you all.

October 15, 2016

Jeanette Coleman

God bless you all. He will always be with you, and you are all in our hearts and prayers, the entire Coleman family

October 15, 2016

Connie Dunwoody

May your soul RIP Mr. Capelle. To the Capelle family, may God bless you all and give you comfort, strength, peace and healing. My prayers are with you all during this time.

October 10, 2016

Skeeter Blancato

Carol So sorry for the lose of your husband our prayers are with you and your family at this time God will give you and yours the peace you need at this time.Skeeter & June Blancato

October 9, 2016

Tom and Mary Holsomback

Carol, you and your family are in our thoughts and prayers. Praying God's comfort and peace for you and yours. Love you,
Tom and Mary Holsomback

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Funeral services provided by:

Fletcher Funeral Home

33 Marlboro Street, Keene, NH 03431

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