Virginia Caponera, active at St. Mary’s

Virginia Ann Caponera of Port Charlotte, Fla., a former longtime Ridgefielder, died Friday, Jan. 24. She was 79 and the wife of Vincent G. Caponera, a Ridgefield native and a retired teacher of the Ridgefield schools.
Mrs. Caponera was born in Hartford, a daughter of Norman B. Little and Esther Schaeffer, and was a Mayflower descendant. She attended schools in Wethersfield.
Mrs. Caponera, who lived for many years on Parley Road, was active in St. Mary’s Church where she was a member of the Rosary Society. She also belonged to the Third Order of Franciscans, was once active in the Ridgefield Cub Scouts, and was an amateur artist.
She and her husband were married in 1942 and she had lived in Ridgefield until August 1983 when the couple retired to Port Charlotte.
Besides her husband, she is survived by six children: Vincent N. Caponera of Ridgefield, David Caponera of Cape Coral, Fla., Michael Caponera of Bethel, Peter Caponera of Port Charlotte, Mary Caponera of Winston-Salem, N.C., and Lynn Caponera of Ridgefield; three sisters: Priscilla Cyr of Balloville, Katherine Pelletier of Fort Kent, Maine, and Joan Bragdon of Bloomfield; 11 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.
A Memorial Mass was celebrated Wednesday at San Pedro Catholic Church in North Port, Fla.
Contributions in her memory may be made to Hospice of Southwest Florida, 5955 Rand Boulevard, Sarasota, FL 34238, or to ROAR (the Ridgefield animal welfare organization), at Box 43, Ridgefield CT 06877
Kays-Ponger Funeral Home in Port Charlotte is in charge of arrangements.