Helen E. (Metta) Cappiello 87 years old, died Wednesday April 7, 2010 surrounded by her loving children at Lifecare of West Bridgewater. She was the loving wife for 58 years of the late Thomas J. Cappiello. Helen was born and raised in Brockton a daughter of the late Nicola and Maria (DeFelice) Metta and remained a lifelong resident of the city. A 1941graduate of Brockton High School, Helen was a pioneer for the working women’s movement and had a full time career long before it was fashionable. Her dream was to open a nursery school and that dream became a reality when her husband gave her his winnings from a twin double at the Raynham Dog Track. In 1963 she opened the Tinker Bell Kindergarten which became a gateway to education for thousands of Brockton children. Until her illness Helen remained active at the school as founder, proprietor and director.
In her free time Helen enjoyed crossword puzzles, scratch tickets, scrabble and watching political television shows. She had been a longtime member of St. Colman Church where she was a former CCD teacher and choir member.
Helen was the beloved mother of Camille Riberio and her husband Bob of East Bridgewater; Michael Cappiello and his wife Jane of Brockton; Andrea “Dee” Homer and her husband John of Wareham and Theresa McLaughlin and her husband Jeffrey of Brockton. She is survived by her grandchildren Robert and Michael Riberio, Katie and Jim Cappiello, Brian, Teriann and T.J. Masefield, Mike and Chris Marotte and Lorne Beane and also her great grand children Victoria and Nicolas Masefield, Ariana Beane and Kadence Devlin. She was the sister of Jennie Metta of Abington, Josephine Jackson of Brockton, Sabino Metta of Florida, Fontaine Metta of Brockton and the late Frank, Mike and Bill Metta, Lucy Cerro and Marie Shumway. She leaves many nieces and nephews.
Funeral Mass in Christ the King/St. Colman Parish Christ The King Parish Saturday at 1 pm. Burial will be Monday at Calvary Cemetery. Please consider donations in Helen’s name to Make A Wish Foundation of Greater Boston 1 Bulfinch Place 2nd Floor Boston, MA 02114 click here or Children's Hospital 300 Longwood Avenue Boston, MA 02115 click here.