Peter Capello

Pete was born Feb. 22, 1930, and was the son of Anton and Virginia Capello of Centennial Heights.

Pete served in the Army during the Korean War and was honorably discharged as a Master Sergeant. At the age of 18, he was a supervisor in Detroit for a company pouring basements. He was employed at Calumet & Hecla Mining Company, Universal Oil Products and Lake Superior Land Company.

On Aug. 27, 1955, he married Dolores (Pechawer) Capello.

He was a member of St. Paul the Apostle Church, the Calumet Elks since 1989, American Legion Post 61 (the VFW Post 3900) and a past Commander twice, “Skinny” Club, Italian Lodge since 1966 and president for a few years and a volunteer fireman with the Calumet Township Fire Department, and a member of “Bible Study” every other Wednesday.

Pete was a loving husband who took care of Dolores as long as possible before she went to Gardenview in June of 2020. Pete and Dolores shared 67 years of marriage before her passing on Dec. 6, 2022.

Pete enjoyed traveling to Fenton, Michigan, Las Vegas, Florida, Hilton Head Island, Hawaii, and cruising to Italy and surrounding countries.

He was a Detroit Red Wings fan, enjoyed gardening and bird watching and spending time at the hunting camp at Gratiot Lake.

Pete is survived by his daughter, Jan Capello-Maki of Fenton, who gave him two very special Havanese grand dogs, Ernie and Emmie. Pete is survived by sister-in-law, Donna (Robert) Jutila of Lake Linden, and brother-in-law, David (Raynelle) Pechawer of Escanaba. He is also survived by Jan’s Smallidge Family of Amy Smallidge (Patrick Beck) of Davison, Michigan, Teresa Smallidge of Flint, Michigan, and Teresa’s daughter, Molly (Cameron) Rondeau and their daughter, Tula, of Maine.

Pete was a grandpa to Erin (Jim) Lane of Lapeer, Michigan, and Melanie Smallidge of Lapeer. He was a great-grandpa to Brady and Tucker Lane of Lapeer. He is also survived by several nieces and nephews.

Peter was preceded in death by parents, Anton and Virginia Capello; in-laws, Joseph and Mary Pechawer; wife, Delores; sister-in-law, Mary Ann (Robert) Randell; brothers and sisters, Anne (Raymond) Glasgow, Margaret (Gordon) Kingstrom, Julia (Levi) Koski, Albert (Alberta) Capello, George (Elsie) Capello and Josephine Perkins. He was also preceded by sons-in-law, Rick Maki in 1989 and Dale Smallidge in 2020.

Visitation will take place at Erickson Crowley Peterson Funeral Home in Calumet, Michigan on Monday, June 16, 2025, from 11 a.m. – 3 p.m. A prayer service will take place at 2:45 pm.

Friends may call at St. Paul the Apostle Catholic Church in Calumet for a Funeral Mass on Tuesday, June 17, 2025, at 11 a.m. with Father Gracious officiating.

Interment with veterans honors will take place in Lake View Cemetery in Calumet at 1 p.m.   

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Paul the Apostle Church in Calumet, Aspirus Keweenaw Hospital, American Heart Association, and The Wounded Warriors Project.

The family of Pete would like to acknowledge the compassionate care he received by all staff at Aspirus Keweenaw.