Just days after reaching the remarkable milestone of 100 years, Bill DeCapite — a Cleveland native and World War II veteran — celebrated his centennial in grand fashion.
He enjoyed a special outing to a Cleveland Guardians game, followed by a series of celebratory events with family and friends.
DeCapite says he remains active, but was surprised by reaching this milestone.
“I can’t believe it,” he told cleveland.com. “I feel so good. I’m still active. I still volunteer at the Cleveland Public Theatre.”
Born on Aug. 24, 1924, DeCapite grew up in one of Cleveland’s Slavic neighborhoods, alongside his eight sisters.
He served three years in the Navy as part of the 107th Naval Construction Battalion (Seabees), with postings at Tinian Island and other Pacific locations.
He was married to his beloved wife, Rose, for nearly 72 years until her passing in 2020. Together, they raised two daughters, Jill and Fran.
A lifelong fan of Cleveland baseball, DeCapite was surrounded by 56 loved ones at the Guardians game Friday (Aug. 30).
The celebration took a heartwarming turn when the Guardians’ entertainment crew, the Strikers, entered the stands to honor him.
In a touching tribute, they rallied the crowd to join in singing “Happy Birthday” to the centenarian.
Before the post-game fireworks began, DeCapite was also featured on the stadium’s big screen, further adding to the festive atmosphere.
“Dad has always been an Indians fan,” shared his daughter, Fran DeCapite, 71, of Mayfield.
“I remember that he taught me to score the games. We’d watch the games at home, as well as going to see them at the stadium.
“Dad and I would play catch at home. It was always fun, since Dad always had commentary: ‘It’s a pop fly.’ ‘Oh, she caught it.’”
Bill’s deep love for Cleveland sports is matched only by the passion he and Rose shared for volunteer work and bicycling, Fran said.
“If they could bicycle there, they did,” she said. “We have a picture of Mom on her bike from 1983 holding up a sign which says, ’10,000 miles.’
“They would cycle from hotel to hotel on trips to different states. They also shipped their bikes to Alaska in order to see the sights on their bikes.”
The DeCapites continued to ride well into their 90s, until Bill generously gifted his bike to a child.
“One day, Dad saw two kids going down the street,” Fran said. “One riding a bike and the other running next to him.
“He asked the boy if he wanted a bike. He said, ‘Yes’, so Dad gave him his bike.”
The DeCapites’ commitment to service was evident in the thousands of hours they dedicated to organizations across Northeast Ohio, including the Cleveland Public Theatre, where Bill continues to volunteer.
Fran said the list of places her parents volunteered is “extensive,” and includes more than 40 years at Playhouse Square, the Cleveland Film Festival, Severance Hall, the Cleveland Institute of Music Piano Competition, the WVIZ auction, Cain Park, Dobama Theater, Tri C Jazz Fest and the Cleveland Air Show.
“Dad and Mom have always loved helping others and volunteering,” Fran said.
“My aunt would say, ‘When you call Bill for help, he’s there practically before you can hang up the phone.’”
For Bill, this spirit of service is the secret to his longevity, with the centenarian noting that he believes “volunteering helped me.”
“When you ask him about what keeps him young, he will say volunteering,” Fran said.
“When you ask him what he likes best about volunteering, he will say the people.”
In addition to their volunteer work and love of cycling, the DeCapites enjoyed playing bocce and traveling, visiting numerous states and at least 95 countries.
“Mom and Dad built a bocce court in their back yard and, with the neighbors, formed ‘The Bocce Group,’ with whom they played bocce every Thursday for decades,” she said.
“It made for a really close neighborhood. They not only played every Thursday, they had the Bocce Banquet and Bocce Trips every year, as well.”
Bill credits his longevity not only to volunteering, but also to having fun.
“We always had fun growing up — we always sang and danced and enjoyed sports,” he said.
Family members from across the country came to Northeast Ohio to celebrate Bill’s 100th birthday with a weekend of festivities that included the Cleveland Guardians game on Friday, a party at the VFW in Solon on Saturday and a picnic on Sunday, according to his nephew Ed Sorace, 75, of Kentucky.
Ed, who planned the outing to the Guardians game, describes his uncle as a “great guy” and a “hero.”
He says their family is very tight-knit, holding reunions every few years and always staying in touch.
“Uncle Bill is an all-around great guy,” Ed said. “He’s obviously a hero in World War II, and he survived COVID and multiple surgeries.
“He’s still sharp as a tack and has a great sense of humor.
“We have cousins traveling in from Washington State, California, Florida, Arizona and South Carolina to celebrate Uncle Bill and be with him.”
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