John “Babe” James Cappello

January 22, 1944 - March 26, 2010

John James ‚ÄúBabe‚Äù Cappello, a resident of Lansing, IL, passed away 66yrs young on Friday March 26th, 2010 at his home after a difficult battle with cancer. He is survived by his loving wife Rosemary (Ruggeri) Cappello; caring children John and Lisa, and dear brother Dominic ‚ÄúSonny‚Äù Cappello. John was born in Chicago on Jan 22nd, 1944 and was preceded in death by his parents, John and Lena Cappello. He grew up on Chicago‚Äôs ‚ÄúEast Side‚Äù, forming life-long friendships at Pietrowski Playground and Calumet Park. He obtained a B.S. in Education at Eastern Illinois and a Masters at Chicago State University. He was well known for his exceptional skills on the football field playing for EIU and later as a successful football coach at St. Francis De Sales High School. He continued to mentor young minds for 35+yrs as a teacher, dean, and counselor, both at SFDS H.S. and later Homewood-Flossmor H.S. He enjoyed golf, Sunday afternoon ‚Äúsailing‚Äù, breakfast with friends and most importantly making people laugh. He will be dearly missed but never forgotten. Friends may visit with the family on Monday, April 5th from 4pm-7pm at Kish Funeral Home 10000 Calumet Ave Munster, IN; A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Tuesday April 6th at 11am at St. Maria Goretti Catholic Church, 500 Northgate Drive, Dyer, IN. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions can be made to Hospice of the Calumet Area www.hospicecalumet.org

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bless john or mr. cappello with out any real regard he helped me get into college on a football scholorship.

Dear Rosemary and family,My condolences for you at your family at your lose. I will remember John in my prayers.There are many memories that come to mind of the years we all spent in high school.God be with you and your family.Sincerely,Bob Oliver

Mr. Cappello was a wonderful example to all of us at St. Francis deSales when I attending in the early 70's. He was fair, tough and taught us right from wrong by example. He always had a great sense of humor and shared it with us generously. My sympathies to the Cappello family and deep thanks for sharing him with the deSales community for so many years.

I played sports with and against John on the East Side from the time I was ten years old, through high school. Later I taught with him and his wife, Rosemary, and coached football with him at St Francis High school. In playing football with him at St Francis I remember him as a "fearless" player. There were a couple of plays when the opposing team would send several players around end to block for a runner, and it looked like it would be a long touchdown for them. Then suddenly those players would go down and scatter like bowling pins.When the players would unpile, there was John at the bottom. Perhaps the smallest player on the field, he would somehow dive into all those big guys knocking their legs out from under them. It was the kind of play that to one knowledgeable about football would make you rub your eyes in disbelief and say "Did I just see that?" Later on when he coached, he brought that same "fearlessness" with him. A teacher and a coach often lead kids not so much by what they say, but by who they are. John Cappello, to all who knew him, was that kind of player, teacher and coach.

I put up with John thru HS and at EIU, and loved every moment of it. Good friend, good guy, good (sorta) golfer. I will miss him.

Please accept our deepest condolences for your family's loss.