Lenore Kelley Cappello

Lenore Cappello passed away peacefully on November 5, 2023, in Bradenton, Florida, surrounded by her loving family. Not long before this, she answered a question in a journal that asked if she ever felt God had a special calling on her life, by simply writing, "To be the mother of 10 children." Her children will be eternally grateful for the love and strength she provided, for the talents and laughter she shared, and for the faith and hope in Jesus Christ she held onto.

Lenore was born in Palmyra, Pennsylvania, (next to Hershey, PA), on February 6, 1937, to Frank and Grace (Rhoads) Kelley. Her parents soon moved their young family to Washington, DC, where her father used his skills as a carpenter to help in the building of our nation's capital. Lenore grew up there and loved returning often to Pennsylvania to visit her grandparents and her many aunts, uncles, and cousins. As a child, she enjoyed the outdoors and also loved playing dress-up with her best friend and next-door neighbor (whose father was a photographer). With a basement full of beautiful fabrics (used to drape clients), she and her girlfriend would create dresses and "prance" around the neighborhood in them.

She grew into a beautiful young woman with an effortless style of her own. Lenore always had a love for swimming, and in fact, met her great love, Frank John Cappello, at the Crystal Pool at Glen Echo Park. Lenore and Frank were married in 1954 while she was on spring break her senior year at Anacostia High School. Always the practical one, she planned their wedding at this time so that she and Frank could marry before he was to leave for service in the U.S. Air Force. She made her own beautiful dress as well as a lovely dress for her sister, Colleen, her Maid of Honor. Lenore and Frank welcomed their first son two years later and truly led a life of service to God and their family as they welcomed nine more children. Many of those children found that same beautiful wedding dress of hers in their own dress-ups which became a continual source of fun in her home, even for her grandchildren who would use them to put on a show for every family gathering.

Lenore worked tirelessly for her family; she was a great cook, a talented seamstress, a welcoming hostess, and had a flair for decorating (at times calling herself a "frustrated interior decorator"). She also loved to dance and often remarked that she may be related to Gene Kelly, but it was she and her husband who were quite the pair on the dance floor. Additionally, she was an active member of her church, Queen of Apostles in Alexandria, Virginia, where she and Frank made many lifelong friends.

Through the years, Lenore worked various part-time jobs and found her greatest enjoyment in flower arranging, blessing many friends and family with her wonderful floral creations. At the end of a day, one could often find her relaxing in her chair watching a good movie, reading a good magazine, writing out a card for a good friend or sharing some of her good advice on the telephone (mostly all happening at the same time) - enjoying the good fruits of her faith-filled life while she nodded off to sleep... or stayed up half the night to watch another movie. She will be greatly missed and forever cherished by her loved ones.

Lenore is survived by her children: Frank (Kelly) Cappello, Jr., Colleen (Darold) Burdick, Patricia (Robert) Magann, Michael (Terry) Cappello, (Chuck Adkins), Amy Cappello, Daniel (Peggy) Cappello, Russell Cappello, Kelly (Juan) Padilla, and Rebecca (Phillip) Gentry. She is also survived by sixty grandchildren and great grandchildren combined, one great-great grandson, and many loving relatives. She was preceded in death by her beloved husband, Frank Cappello, Sr., in 2022, daughter, Sally Adkins in 2007, and grandson, Kyle Schwietzer in 2010.

There will be a Memorial Mass for Lenore at Ss Peter & Paul the Apostles Catholic Church in Bradenton, FL, on June 14, 2024, at 9:30 am. That afternoon, there will be a funeral service for both Frank and Lenore at Sarasota National Cemetery at 1:30 pm. It is suggested that guests arrive thirty minutes before the service. Upon entering the cemetery, there will be signs to follow for funerals. Immediately following, there will be a Celebration of Life at the Sarasota Eagles Lodge, 2926 Wilkinson Road. Brown & Sons Funeral Homes & Crematory 43rd Street Chapel, 604 43rd Street West, Bradenton, FL 34209, is in charge of arrangements.