Obituary of George F. Capes

Capes, George F. Irondequoit: 74 yrs of age, Peacefully, Dec. 5, 2014 surrounded by family. Born 1940 in Ilion, NY son of Frank “Bud” & Alice (McLaughlin) Capes. After attending Annunciation, Ilion H.S., and Mohawk Valley Technical Institute, he joined the U.S. Marine Corps at Parris Island, NC. He started out as an Artillery Radio Operator, then he achieved the high honor of being selected to Marine Corps Embassy Security Group stationed at U.S. Embassy in Asuncion, Paraguay, S.America. While there he met and married his wife Petronila Davalos. After returning home, he settled in Rochester to start a career in telecommunications, with Rochester Telephone, AT&T, and Marconi Communications, with a couple year stint in Albuquerque, NM with Mountain Bell, where he was assigned to Sandia National Laboratories on Kirkland AFB. While there he had the opportunity to meet then Pres. Jimmy Carter. Known for a dry sense of humor, easy going nature, meticulousness & recordkeeping; he enjoyed babysitting his grandkids, trips overseas and regionally, hosting guests from various countries, reading spy and military novels, watching International soccer & the Bills, Sabres and Syracuse Univ sports, gardening, growing a veggie patch, fighting with squirrels, concocting homemade chili or beans & greens, BBQing, playing FreeCell online, his wine cellar, listening to ham radio and various music, and a 40+ year passion for geneological research tracing his families back to 1600's England and Ireland. He found that he descends from the Viscount Molyneux, the Earl of Sefton. He was a member at various times of Boy Scouts, Civil Defense Ground Observer Corps, Elks Club, American Legion, Marine Reserves, Marine Embassy Guard Association, Genesee Valley Chess Club, and various historical/geneology societies. Enjoyed monthly luncheons with Roch. Telephone Retirees and at the Italian-American Sportsman Club. The family would like to express gratitude to Dr. Carlos Jimenez-Rueda, and the Cardiac Unit staffs at RGH and Strong Memorial hospitals & his various cardiologists over the years for their commitment and compassion. He is predeceased by his parents, step-mother Izetta (Lonis-Fifield) Capes, mother-in-law Maria Librada Davalos-Bartomeu, brother-in-law Michael Ekstrom, sister & brother-in-law Arminda (Sperati) & Gaspar Ortiz, stepbrother Jon Fifield, stepbrother-in-law Edward Vandawalker. Survived by his wife of 51 years Nila, son Michael, daughter Marlene (Robert) Bettin, grandchildren: Robby, Julia, Christina, & Stevie Bettin all of Rochester. His sisters Frances (Vincent) Pellegrino of CT., Mary Ekstrom of CA., brothers Edward of CA. and Richard of NC., stepsisters Mary (Paul) Lupinski, Verna Vandawalker both of Ilion, many nephews, nieces & cousins, and close friends all over the USA, Paraguay and Europe. His family will receive friends Tuesday December 9, 3:00-7:00pm at the funeral home (570 Kings Hwy South, Rochester, NY 14617). A funeral mass will be held Wednesday 9:30am at St. Kateri at St. Margaret Mary Church (401 Rogers Pkwy, Rochester, NY 14617). Interment to follow at Holy Sepulchre. Please consider donations to the American Heart Association, Memorials may be directed to American Heart Association, PO Box 3049, Syracuse, NY 13220. To share a memory or send the family a condolence, please visit www.harrisfuneralhome.com.