CAPETOLA, HELEN T.

A funeral service took place Sept. 23 for Helen T. Capetola, 91, of Jersey City and Long Branch. She passed away Sept. 17. Born in Jersey City, Helen worked for many years as a seamstress. Her second career was as a teacher aide for the Jersey City Public School System where she worked for over 20 years, retiring in 2001 at the age of 72. Helen loved the students and staff she worked with, and spoke fondly of them long after her retirement. Helen was an animal lover. Everyone who knew her will remember her dog, Gigi, and the countless stray cats she cared for, some of whom were fortunate enough to be rescued by Helen and brought into her home – most notably Midnight, Oreo, Whiskers and Snowball. Helen’s fiercest love was for her family. Helen was predeceased by her husband John (a former US Marine), her mother Mildred (Bergamesca-Cinelli-Diglio), her father Robert Cinelli, and her brother Frank (Sonny) Cinelli. Helen leaves behind her sons, Frank and Robert Capetola, her  daughter-in-law, Mary Ann, and her  grandchildren, Stephen, Michael and Danielle. Helen is also survived by her  niece, Fran Vartanian and her husband Dick, their children Nicole and Ryan, cousins Ronnie Bergamesca and Lou Bergamesco and his wife, Mary, as well as many other relatives and in-laws who will miss her. Services arranged by the McLaughlin Funeral Home, Jersey City.