Nov. 13, 1929 - July 21, 2010
Edward Joseph Caputo, 80, died Wednesday, July 21,2010 at home, in the arms of his family as he had wished. Ed was born and raised in New Haven, CT but he was an active duty and reserve military officer in the United States Army, so "home" was wherever he and his beloved wife and children unpacked their boxes and made spaghetti sauce!
Ed was a retired Lieutenant Colonel and Vietnam Veteran, a member of VFW Post 1220, the Military Officer Association and the Reserve Officers Association. He began his broadcasting career and music-making at the University of Connecticut as a founding member of the college radio station but then volunteered for service during the Korean conflict. He served as an infantry officer but began to specialize in Public Affairs and Public Information. He was released from active duty in 1953 and returned to commercial broadcasting in New Haven as news director for WNHC and as a correspondent for ABC News and Voice of America. Ed was recalled to duty during the Cuban Missile Crisis and then deployed to Vietnam to direct military radio/ TV programming and to serve as the military liaison officer to ABC, NBC and CBS news reporters broadcasting from the battlefront. He was awarded the Bronze Star and Meritorious Service Medal for these actions.
He returned to the Pentagon as a Branch Chief for the Office of the Chief of Information. He won the first "Emmy" ever awarded to an Army production and was "Emmy" nominated twice more. He continued the same programmatic activities as a civil service professional, also creating an oral history project to capture the life stories of the surviving generals of WWII for The National Archives. In 2002 Congress authorized funding to continue this as The Veterans History Project.
After retirement in 1989, Ed moved to New Smyrna Beach and worked part-time at WROD-Daytona as an account exec, producer of radio commercials, news editor and on-air anchor. In 1991 he retired (again!) in order to devote more time to his family, music and volunteer activities. He served on the Board of Education for Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church, as President of Fairgreen Homeowners Association and on the New Smyrna Beach Airport Master Plan Committee. However, the saxophone was his lifetime companion. He began study in 1939, played and directed dance and swing bands throughout high school, and was a member of the "Connecticut Collegians" at UCONN. After 30 years without an instrument he regained his" lip" and joyfully jammed with the DBCC Concert band, DBCC Swing Ensemble and the Sal Ronci Big Band. For the past several years his love and life beacon has been "The Moonlighters".
Edward is survived by Carolyn, his wife of 57 years, (11 months and 3 weeks); a daughter, Deborah Caputo Rosen and her spouse David Mayer; a son, Edward J. Caputo and his wife Carol; and a daughter Rita Caputo Hemmig and her husband Scott. Ed has 6 grandchildren: Alyssa, Jacob, Christine, Sierra, Jason and Savannah and his memory will bless them forever. Mass of Christian Burial will be 9:00 a.m. Monday, July 26, 2010 at Sacred Heart Catholic Church, New Smyrna Beach.
Calling hours will be 5:00-7:00 p.m. Sunday, July 25 at Settle-Wilder's New Smyrna Beach chapel, with a wake service at 6:45 p.m. Interment will be at Arlington National Cemetery at a future date. Memorial donations in Mr. Caputo's name may be made to Sacred Heart School, P.O. Box 729, New Smyrna Beach, Florida 32170, or Hospice of Volusia/Flagler, 3800 Woodbriar Trail, Port Orange, Florida 32129.
