Rev. Peter Paul Caprari, 99, of Harding, passed away Saturday, November 6, 2021. Born in Glen Lyon on February 25, 1922, he was the son of the late Julio and Margaret Faraoni Caprari.
Rev. Caprari was a graduate of Pittston High School. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Biology and Chemistry from Bucknell University and Masters degrees from both Temple University and the University of Scranton.
He proudly served in the US Marines during World War II.
Rev. Caprari was a past president of the Swoyersville Kiwanis and Kiwanis International. He served as a Swoyersville councilman. He served as the 53rd Potentate of the Irem Temple. Through these civic organizations, he participated in many charities for the benefit of the community as a whole. For many years, he was an educator in Swoyersville and the Wyoming Valley West School Districts and retired as Administrator for Transportation.
His true passion was education, whether teaching in the classroom or from the pulpit. For many years he was the pastor of the Italian Christian Church in Pittston. He attended colleges in New Jersey and Syracuse, NY in connection with his pastoral work.
He always had time to sit one-on-one with anyone in need of consolation, encouragement and prayer.
His interests were multi-faceted, from business and finance to botany.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by brothers, Dominic Caprari and Samuel Caprari.
Surviving are his wife of 70 years, Irene Wienckowski Caprari; daughter, Susan Dempsey and her husband William J. Dempsey, Garden City, NY; grandson, William Peter Dempsey, Chicago, IL; sister, Lydia Baglio, Exeter; sisters-in-law, Doris Caprari, Pittston and Theresa Caprari, Naples, FL and many beloved nieces and nephews.
The family will receive friends and relatives Monday, November 15, 2021, from 4pm-7pm in Adonizio Funeral Home, LLC, 251 William Street, Pittston. Religious Services will take place Tuesday, November 16, 2021, at 10am in Italian Christian Church, 40 E. Oak Street, Pittston. Those attending are asked to go directly to the church on Tuesday morning. Face coverings and social distancing will be strongly encouraged for those attending the services at the funeral home and/or the church. Entombment, family mausoleum, Italian Independent Cemetery, West Wyoming.
I am sorry to learn of the death of Mr. Caprari. I graduated from WVW in 1969. He was easily and by far my favorite teacher. He kindled in me a love of science particularly biology. He was way ahead of his time in his teaching style. He challenged everyone in the class no matter their ability. He was interactive, taught you how to think and encouraged everyone. His students decided if they wanted to learn but he was there to teach. He was not afraid to tackle the tough questions of life when students tried to trick him with tough questions adolescents ask when you study the biology of human reproduction. What I learned from him carried me …