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Anthony Thomas “Tony Capps” Capozzolo

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Anthony Thomas “Tony Capps” Capozzolo

Birth
Pueblo, Pueblo County, Colorado, USA
Death
3 Oct 2001 (aged 92)
Palm Springs, Riverside County, California, USA
Burial
Pueblo, Pueblo County, Colorado, USA GPS-Latitude: 38.2418123, Longitude: -104.5784095
Plot
RT 14 2
Memorial ID
View Source
Monument has name as Capps-Capozzolo

Anthony T. Capozzolo was born on his father's dairy farm in Pueblo. He attended Fountain Elementary and graduated from Centennial High School.

Capozzolo, who suffered a stroke on Monday, was 92.

Capozzolo grew up in Pueblo but left when he was 18 for a career in dancing in Hollywood, with the stage name Tony Capps.

As a boy, Mr. Capozzolo remembers selling The Pueblo Star-Journal (now The Pueblo Chieftain), an enterprise which he said was highly competitive. He later worked with Mark McDonald and the Arcadians as a professional dancer at Pueblo's Arcadian Ballroom. Mr. Capozzolo left home at 18 to join his brother Dominic in Los Angeles, where he continued to pursue his dancing career.

He met and married his only dance partner, Theresa Harmon, in Hollywood, where the pair worked in studios such as Columbia Pictures, MGM, Paramount and 20th Century. Throughout their careers, the Capozzolos were partners in many business ventures and social activities that raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for many charitable organizations.

In August 1998, the Italian Catholic Federation honored him with the 1998 POPE JOHN XXIII award. The award is given to those of any denomination who "best exemplify the spirit and tradition of the late Pope John XXIII." Criteria for the award include achievements in the community, civic endeavors, an ecumenical spirit and charitable and religious activities. In addition, he served as a charter member of the Assistance League of Palm Springs, the Auxiliary of Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, Calif., the Desert Hospital Auxiliary in Palm Springs, the Opera Guild of the Desert, the Palm Springs Desert Museum, the College of the Desert Foundation and a life member of Pathfinders.

He established an art gallery at St. Martin's Abbey and College in Lacy, Wash., in memory of his late wife Theresa, and generously funded the Stations of the Cross at Roselawn Cemetery and St. Benedict Statue as well as the Tri-County Football Hall of Fame, located in Pueblo.

Always a loyal benefactor and supporter of the University of Southern Colorado, the Art/Music Building on campus was renamed the Capps Capozzolo Center for the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences in his honor.

Over the past several years, Anthony provided annual income stream to support creative and performing arts at USC. He is responsible for many scholarships for deserving students, and established the Capps Capozzolo Award for Excellence for graduating students who display academic excellence by achieving a 3.5 GPA or higher.

He also created and funded the University of Southern Colorado Education Summit, a popular conference for K-12 educational leaders across the state of Colorado. Additional contributions to USC include campus sculptures, art, real estate, personal possessions and cash disbursements through the Anthony T. and Theresa H. Capps Capozzolo Trust.

Survived by his cousins, Lucille (William) Kenworthy of Pittsburgh, Pa., and Grace Weinel of Denver; niece, Jacqueline Harris; nephews, Eugene Harris and Charles Capozzolo; many great-nieces and great-nephews; longtime friend, Marvin Androes, Pueblo West; and his caregiver, Patty Stolma of Palm Springs, Calif.
Monument has name as Capps-Capozzolo

Anthony T. Capozzolo was born on his father's dairy farm in Pueblo. He attended Fountain Elementary and graduated from Centennial High School.

Capozzolo, who suffered a stroke on Monday, was 92.

Capozzolo grew up in Pueblo but left when he was 18 for a career in dancing in Hollywood, with the stage name Tony Capps.

As a boy, Mr. Capozzolo remembers selling The Pueblo Star-Journal (now The Pueblo Chieftain), an enterprise which he said was highly competitive. He later worked with Mark McDonald and the Arcadians as a professional dancer at Pueblo's Arcadian Ballroom. Mr. Capozzolo left home at 18 to join his brother Dominic in Los Angeles, where he continued to pursue his dancing career.

He met and married his only dance partner, Theresa Harmon, in Hollywood, where the pair worked in studios such as Columbia Pictures, MGM, Paramount and 20th Century. Throughout their careers, the Capozzolos were partners in many business ventures and social activities that raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for many charitable organizations.

In August 1998, the Italian Catholic Federation honored him with the 1998 POPE JOHN XXIII award. The award is given to those of any denomination who "best exemplify the spirit and tradition of the late Pope John XXIII." Criteria for the award include achievements in the community, civic endeavors, an ecumenical spirit and charitable and religious activities. In addition, he served as a charter member of the Assistance League of Palm Springs, the Auxiliary of Eisenhower Medical Center in Rancho Mirage, Calif., the Desert Hospital Auxiliary in Palm Springs, the Opera Guild of the Desert, the Palm Springs Desert Museum, the College of the Desert Foundation and a life member of Pathfinders.

He established an art gallery at St. Martin's Abbey and College in Lacy, Wash., in memory of his late wife Theresa, and generously funded the Stations of the Cross at Roselawn Cemetery and St. Benedict Statue as well as the Tri-County Football Hall of Fame, located in Pueblo.

Always a loyal benefactor and supporter of the University of Southern Colorado, the Art/Music Building on campus was renamed the Capps Capozzolo Center for the Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences in his honor.

Over the past several years, Anthony provided annual income stream to support creative and performing arts at USC. He is responsible for many scholarships for deserving students, and established the Capps Capozzolo Award for Excellence for graduating students who display academic excellence by achieving a 3.5 GPA or higher.

He also created and funded the University of Southern Colorado Education Summit, a popular conference for K-12 educational leaders across the state of Colorado. Additional contributions to USC include campus sculptures, art, real estate, personal possessions and cash disbursements through the Anthony T. and Theresa H. Capps Capozzolo Trust.

Survived by his cousins, Lucille (William) Kenworthy of Pittsburgh, Pa., and Grace Weinel of Denver; niece, Jacqueline Harris; nephews, Eugene Harris and Charles Capozzolo; many great-nieces and great-nephews; longtime friend, Marvin Androes, Pueblo West; and his caregiver, Patty Stolma of Palm Springs, Calif.


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