Veronica Helen Keefe "Ronnie" Capitan

1931 - 2020

The beautiful and loving matriarch of the Capitan family, Veronica "Ronnie" Helen Keefe Capitan, passed peacefully Thursday, May 21, 2020, surrounded by family at the home of her eldest daughter, Christine, in Sugar Land, Texas.

Ronnie was born in Larksville on June 24, 1931, to Reginald S. and Helen V. Dziompkowski Keefe. She lived in Larksville, Buffalo, N.Y., and Courtdale, before settling into the Lyndwood section of Hanover Twp., where she lived for 60 years before becoming a resident of Texas.

She attended St. John's Elementary School and Marymount High School, and graduated from Larksville High School in June 1949. She was a life member of St. John the Baptist Church, where she received the sacraments of Baptism, Holy Communion, Confirmation and Holy Matrimony.

Ronnie worked for the Atwater Throwing Company, a silk mill in Plymouth. She also modeled new style shoe samples for a local designer due to her petite size four.

She retired from RCA, Mountain Top, after more than 30 years of service, where she performed quality control testing on computer transistor parts used in the U.S. space program.

Ronnie met the love of her life, Joseph "Joe" Capitan one winter evening sled riding on Nesbitt Street. It was the magical beginning of their 67-year love affair. They married on Oct. 29, 1949, and together raised a family of six children and welcomed 14 grandchildren and 23 great-grandchildren.

Along with being Joe's sweetheart, Ronnie's greatest joy was her children and being "Nana" to her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. She loved holding the bragging rights to all their antics and accomplishments. She also loved camping and traveling in a RV to Pennsylvania state parks and various Atlantic shore destinations. Ronnie was an accomplished artisan, mastering crocheting, tatting and crewel skills. Her all-time favorite pastime was watching movies; she probably watched every Hallmark movie ever aired.

Her husband, Joseph; her parents, Reginald and Helen Keefe; and her brother, Stanley Keefe, preceded Ronnie in death.

Surviving are her six children, Christine Capitan and her husband, Hector DiVito, Sugar Land, Texas; Diane Blaski and her fiancé, Charles Dzurek, Swoyersville; Ronnie Rother and Donald Rother, Allentown; Joseph Capitan and his wife, Kathy, Kingston; Reggie Capitan and his wife, Ellen, Dover, Del; and Andrew Capitan and his wife, Geri, Manassas, Va.; 14 grandchildren, Devon DiVito; Dana Bobeck; Tiffany Kator Steele; Jason Blaski; Greg Rother; Ryan Rother; Dawn Skop; Joseph Capitan; Karissa Kingsbury; Kimberly Ford; Kathleen Anderson; Kristin Capitan; Christopher Capitan; and Jeffrey Perkins; and 23 great-grandchildren, Anthony Joseph "AJ" Bobeck; Aislynn, Mason and Quinn Kator; Caroline, Connor, Anna and Emmy Steele; Colton Blaski; Kiley and Zachory Rother; Leah and Elizabeth Rother; Charlotte and Smith Capitan; Jack, Reed, Caroline and Evelyn Kingsbury; Katie Anne and Kara Ford; Ryan Anderson; and Ava Grace Litchford.

In keeping with Ronnie's wishes, a private family Catholic Mass of Christian Burial will be held in St. John the Baptist Church, Larksville, followed by interment with her husband at the parish cemetery in Dallas Twp.