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Eugene Edward Caputo “Geno”
Age 81, passed away unexpectedly, on Wednesday, October 28, 2020. He was born on June 26, 1939 to Eugenio and Angeline (Abate) Caputo in Pittsburgh, PA. Geno was born a fighter, being only 1 1/2 pounds at birth and surviving his twin sister.
Geno met his future wife, Anita Furlan, as a teenager and would ride the streetcar often to visit her while dating. They were married on June 25, 1960, the day before his 21st birthday. Geno was a devoted and loving husband for just shy of 47 years, truly exemplifying “in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, till death us do part”. Geno was also a caring and involved father of four. He loved spending quality time with his family, whether that be taking vacations to Titusville, playing in the snow together or trick or treating. One of his favorite pastimes was coaching his boys’ little league games. He coached like he did everything else in life – with a lot of passion but also great kindness!
Geno owned a deli in Mount Washington for years before accepting a job at the United States Post Office in 1964. He worked there for 42 years, making many friends along the way. Retiring didn’t slow Geno down, but rather the opposite! He now had even more time for his many interests and hobbies. Geno was a long-time church member and usher of Saint Justin’s (and then Saint Mary of the Mount when they merged) where he enjoyed serving and befriending everyone he met. You’d be hard pressed to find a more caring and friendly person! For example, he was dubbed the “unofficial tour guide of Mount Washington” - He would take your picture for you, show you his favorite place to get a sweet treat and would even hop in your car to help you find the best view of the city. He really was a stranger to none, a friend to all and loved by all who met him.
Anyone that knew Geno knew he had the biggest sweet tooth. A typical breakfast for him was a cup of coffee accompanied by a sleeve of Oreos! It was not unusual for him to be able to eat half of a chocolate cake for dinner himself. Every time you saw him, he was talking about some new sugary treat he had discovered - a small local donut shop in Mt. Washington even created the “Geno” donut for him. We joked that the only reason he wasn’t 300 pounds is because he walked 300 miles a day (only a slight exaggeration).
Almost as great as his love for chocolate was his loyalty to the Pittsburgh Penguins. It would be difficult to find someone who has supported them longer than Geno. He was a die-hard fan since their start as the Pittsburgh Hornets over 60 years ago! Geno even has his picture displayed on the Mario Mosaic at the PPG Paints Arena – which is fittingly placed on the Stanley Cup.
Geno and Anita were snowbirds, choosing to spend their winters in Fort Myers, Florida. Those trips were strategically planned - they would wait until after Christmas, so they could spend the holidays with their children and grandchildren and their return trip would be mainly based upon the Penguins playoff schedule - Geno couldn’t miss a game while on the road.
Geno was known for his love of animals – He loved taking pictures of the wild deer, squirrels and ducks that roamed Mt. Washington. But more than anything Geno loved his cats. Throughout his life there was often a cat or two roaming around the house; they were always a little bit chubby, a little bit spoiled and very much loved.
Geno also took great pride in his 16 grandchildren (and 4 great grandchildren) – and the fact that he could keep up with all of them. Even into his seventies he was known to join the younger kids in a bouncy house and jump higher and longer than any of them. He enjoyed taking them hiking and trick or treating (as he did with his own children), buying them sugary snacks and giving them the best hugs. “Pappy” was always quick to step in anytime his grandchildren needed him; an action not seen by many but having one of the greatest impacts.
It’s hard to condense anyone’s life to a few paragraphs, much less someone like Geno who enjoyed life to its fullest. He truly did live each day as if it were his last and will forever be an inspiration to all the lives he touched along the way. He leaves behind a wide-spread legacy of kindness, friendship and love of adventure.
He was preceded in death by his beloved wife, Anita, his father, Eugenio, his mother, Angeline, and his sisters, Rosemary Lauterbur, Barbara Pantone and Joyce Kalinowski. He is survived by his four children, Diane Sunseri, Tony, Pam (Jeff Deane) and Vince (Mary Beth) and his grandchildren, Michael (Kerie) and Krista Sunseri, Brittany, Celine and Anthony Caputo, Stephanie (John D’Amato), JT (Colleen), Rachel, Bethany, Jessica, Kaitlin, Josiah, Grace, Christina and Joshua Deane and Benjamin Caputo. He is also survived by his great grandchildren Kayla and Sydney D’Amato, Brooklyn Deane and Wyatt Sunseri. He is also survived by his sister-in-law, Lorraine Ruggiero and lifelong family friend Nicky Luttig.
Arrangements entrusted to the Brusco-Falvo Funeral Home, Inc., 214 Virginia Avenue, Mt. Washington (412-381-2323) There will be no visitations. Burial will be private. A Memorial Service will be held at a later date. www.bruscofalvo.com
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