Joyce Kay Cappon

Joyce Kay Cappon

Greece- Beloved wife, mother and grandmother, passed away on Dec. 18, 2022, at age 91. Born in Rochester, NY on Jan. 5, 1931, she was the daughter of Arthur and Blanche Roller. Her beloved husband of 68 years, Robert E. Cappon, passed away May 31,2021 at age 95.

She is survived by her daughters, Barbara Cappon, Patricia (Brian) Sullivan; sons, Douglas (Karen) Cappon and Steven (Sheri) Cappon. Predeceased by her sister Shirley (Silas) Hulse.

Joyce was proud to call the town of Greece her home her entire life. After graduating from Barnard Elementary and John Marshall High School, she followed her love of fashion and began a career in retail at McCurdy’s in downtown Rochester. Modeling the latest fashion for the store, she was a beauty, a lovely reflection of the feminine style of the times, attired in a tailored burgundy coat, with heels, hat, gloves and a matching purse.

One summer, when she was about 16, she met a handsome, blue-eyed World War II veteran who captured her heart. Bob Cappon, back home from his military service, was visiting his family’s cottage on Sodus Bay, a short walk from the cottage her own father had built on the edge of the bay. Their courtship began with a perfect first date – fishing on the bay. Joyce would later say she caught the big one that day.

In Bob, Joyce had found a singular kindred spirit who shared her great contentment and happiness being close to nature. Joyce had spent many summers on the bay, fishing for sunnies with her dad, helping him with little building projects, paddling her wooden red canoe through still waters and picking cherries with her sister Shirley and the Spiegel Family boys.

During those early years together, they made a plan. While she honed her secretarial skills at Kodak, Robert attended and then graduated from Cornell’s University’s School of Industrial and Labor Relations and Cornell Law School. Together they danced at the elegant Barristers’ Ball.

In 1953, Joyce married her sweetheart at St. Andrew’s Catholic Church. They bought their home in Greece, started a family and became active in church, school and community service projects. Joyce was a dedicated volunteer. She led the Harvest Queen Program, a pageant for high school girls. She and her husband were active in the Barnard Fire Department, he was a volunteer firefighter, and she was with the Barnard Women’s Auxiliary.

In 1966, she was at her husband’s side campaigning when he ran for and was elected to the Monroe County Legislature. She served as both a poll worker on Election Days and as president of the Greece Women’s Republican Club. Joyce volunteered at the Park Ridge Hospital gift shop and helped tutor children at St. Charles Borromeo School.

Joyce loved entertaining and gathering the family together every Christmas Eve. With her growing family, they saved to buy a cottage on Lake Ontario. She and Bob and their four children spent many happy summers there, swimming, walking and gardening. She adored spending time with her grandchildren, Nick, Ryan, Emily, Spencer, Lauren, Caroline and Brian, and her many nieces and nephews.

She and her husband especially loved traveling to Europe and to nearly every state in America with their best friends Lois and Frank Clovis. A Cruise to Alaska was her favorite excursion. She treasured special dinners with their neighborhood friends Bill and Athy Fisher.

Joyce’s life was remarkable for her steadfast devotion to her family and her dedication to building a better community. She will be remembered for her beautiful smile and spirit. She and her husband were guided by their strong Catholic faith, attending Mass every Sunday and sacrificing to send their four children to St. Charles. She taught her children the value of hard work and the importance of keeping faith and family close.

She missed her husband every day but found happiness in recalling all the wonderful times they had together.

Our family wishes to express our deepest gratitude to special friends Safiya Dennard, Julene James and Tan-Dieka Jackson for the compassion, care and friendship they gave our parents these past seven years.

Funeral Mass will be celebrated in her memory Wednesday December 21^st, 9:30 AM at St. Charles Borromeo Church, 3003 Dewey Avenue. Interment, Holy Sepulchre Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to St. Charles Borromeo Church. For more information and to sign her online guestbook, visit www.meesonfamily.com