Lifelong Inwood resident Harold Capone Jr., 72

In the eyes of family and friends of Inwood resident and military veteran Harold Capone Jr., he was a man of many interests who would also do anything to help those he cared about. 

The lifelong Inwood resident Capone died on Dec. 6 at his home after a long battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 72.

Capone was born on Nov. 16, 1948 to Harold and Filomena “Mitzi” Barone Capone. He grew up on Sheridan Boulevard in Inwood with his sister Diane. Harold married Marilyn Farinella, a fellow Inwood resident, on Sept. 21, 1969. Together, the Capone’s had two daughters, Kelli and Kim.

Capone also served in the United States Army, where he fought in the Vietnam War from 1969 to 1971. A  Lawrence High School graduate, he took a job as a custodian in the school district and worked for roughly 32 years before retiring in 1997.

Kelli Capone Cody noted that her father was loyal and generous to those he loved. “My dad was known by many people as many different things: son, brother, junior, friend, collector, picker, cousin, neighbor, to name a few,” she said. “But mostly, he was husband, dad and ‘poppee’ to us. He would drop everything to help those he loved and fight in your corner to support you.”

Marilyn described her husband as a man of many interests including antiques, gardening and art. “He was an antique collector that collected whatever caught his eye over the years,” she said. “The banister going up the second floor was made by him just by using antique table legs.”

Former Inwood Fire Department chief Frank Parise was a friend and lived next door. He described Capone as a great neighbor. “All of the neighbors loved visiting Harold and loved his history lessons on his antique collection,” Parise posted on Facebook. “The “American Pickers could not come close to Harold’s knowledge. We here in the neighborhood know that Harold is in a better place and will continue to watch over us.”

Capone is survived by his wife Marilyn, two daughters, Kelli and her husband Robert, Kim and her husband Michael, six grandchildren: Barrett, Haven, Audrey, Andrew, Natalie, and Matthew. His sister Diane Pagano also survives him.

A funeral mass was held on Dec. 11 at Our Lady of Good Counsel Church in Inwood. As a Vietnam veteran, Capone will be interred in a private military ceremony at Calverton National Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made in his name to: Key West Sea Turtle Club, 29311 Oleander Dr. Big Pine, FL 33043 and Sean Casey Animal Rescue, 153 E. 3 St. Brooklyn, N.Y. 11218. 

“He was a special man and I’ve never heard anybody say a bad thing about him,” Marilyn added. “If you called him up and needed a favor, he would be there for you. He was very loyal to his friends and family.”