Vincent Capuana, 76, of Passaic, passed away on January 20, 2015. Born in Sicily, Italy, he came to the US as a child and lived most of his life in Passaic. A US Army Veteran, Vincent was a Trustee for the Passaic Board of Education for over 25 years. After he retired from the board, Passaic Public School # 15 on Broadway was named in his honor. Vincent served as Passaic's Code Enforcement Officer for 20 years, retiring as Director of Housing in 2013. Vincent was a member of the Democratic Club, the Optimist Club, and was an Honorary Member and Silver Card Recipient of PBA Local #14. Beloved father of Ross (acting Police Chief of Passaic PD) and his wife Dinora of Clifton, and Anthony of Passaic. Loving grandfather of 5. Dear brother of Joseph and his wife Shirley of MN. Loving uncle of Vincent of MN. Funeral Monday 8:45 AM at the Shook Funeral Home, 639 Van Houten Ave., Clifton, and 10 AM at Our Lady of Mt. Carmel RC Church, Passaic. Interment, St. Nicholas Cemetery, Lodi. Visiting Sunday 2-4 and 7-9 PM. For further information, please read the Herald News/Bergen Record article about Vincent here: By RICHARD COWEN and JIM NORMAN PASSAIC - Vincent Capuana, a longtime political figure and board of education trustee after whom a public school was named, died Tuesday, City Council President Gary S. Schaer announced. Capuana, who was born in Italy but spent almost all of his life in Passaic, was 76. "It is with extreme sadness and regret that I announce the passing of Vinnie Capuana," Schaer said, just as the council was about to take a brief recess in its regularly scheduled meeting Tuesday night. Many in the crowd gasped at the news. One woman hurried from the council chamber in tears. Capuana, whose son Rosario is the acting police chief in Passaic, was well known as a school board trustee for more than 25 years. After he retired from that position, he served as the city's code enforcement officer, retiring as director of housing in 2013. In 2009, Capuana ran for mayor against Alex Blanco, and lost. He lost by 500 votes and was considering another run against Blanco in 2013, but decided against it and instead endorsed his onetime opponent. Known around town as a kind man with a gruff manner, Capuana was considered by many to be the old Italian face of Passaic. "He made a difference in the lives of thousands upon thousands of children who went through the school system," said Mark Auerbach, the city historian. Byron Bustos, the current chairman of the Board of Education, called Capuana "a true servant of the city. He will be remembered for the ages," Bustos added. With many in town expecting Capuana to keep the political rivalry going by taking another run against his foe of four years earlier - or at least backing another candidate to oppose Blanco - he surprised many by appearing at a Blanco dinner and raising his gravelly voice. "When I have a person like you running for mayor, who needs me?" he asked, looking at Blanco. Then, after ticking off a string of accomplishments during his former opponent's first term, he added: "On Election Day, Vinnie Capuana, my family and friends are going to vote for Alex Blanco." As a permanent reminder of the man from Italy who grew up in Passaic, Public School No. 15 was named for Capuana when he retired from his position as Board of Education trustee. The cause of his death was not immediately known, but it was believed that illness was one of the factors that led him to decline to make a second run against Blanco for mayor.