Edward Arthur Caporin

Edward Arthur Caporin, 90, of Centreville MD died at Compass Regional Hospice on October 29, 2023. Ed was born in Syracuse NY on February 2, 1933, the son of Arthur and May Caporin. He attended Syracuse University on the GI bill after service in the Korean War. He married Karlyn “Karlie” Ann Sears in 1957 and relocated to Maryland to work at the Westinghouse Corporation in the Baltimore region. Ed eventually moved his family to a farm near Ruthsburg. Following Karlie’s death in 1982, he married Harriet Carroll in 1983. He retired as Director of Engineering for the Westinghouse Annapolis plant in June 1995, and he and Harriet began to build (plant & trim!) the Blue Heron Christmas Tree Farm. This post retirement venture became a blended family project that brought personal satisfaction of hard work, project management (an engineer’s dream) and great joy to thousands of customers over the last 25 years. Ed began his holiday beard growth annually in October and was often mistaken as “Santa Claus” by the Farm’s preschool visitors. Ed was an active member of the Centreville Rotary, served on the Maryland Forestry Board of the Mid Shore, Queen Anne’s County Board of Social Services, and the Queen Anne’s County United Fund Board. He shared numerous community service commitments with Harriet as well. They were dedicated presenters and organizers of National Marriage Encounter retreat weekends, were instrumental leaders in the committee for the fundraising and construction of the Ruthsburg Community Center in 1999, and delighted in the learning, service, and networking through the Maryland Christmas Tree Growers Association. Ed’s generous spirit, sense of adventure and unconditional love was not limited to his immediate family. If anything, that spirit extended his family to include the young men he mentored through Big Brothers in the 1960’s when his own children were small, and as a retiree through Queen Anne’s County Social Services. These resulted in lifelong relationships. He was an avid reader, delighted in his weekly poker games with Rotary and neighborhood friends, and was a devoted spectator for the numerous art and sport events of his beloved grandchildren. He is survived by his wife of 42 years, Harriet; daughter Sue Simmons (Jon) and son Rick Caporin (Heather) and step children Mark Carroll (Karen) and Michaele Ann Graves (John) and grandchildren: Michael Graves (Abigal), Matthew Graves (Laura), James Edward Simmons (Morgan), Robert Simmons, and Sabrina, Madison, Lilah, Camden and Violet Caporin, and five great grandchildren: Macy and Crosby Graves and Emma, Olivia and Owen Edward Simmons. He is predeceased by his wife Karlie, son Robert Allen Caporin and granddaughter Tara Leigh Burton. A memorial service will be held on Friday, November 10 at the Centreville Global Methodist Church on 608 Church Hill Road in Centreville where family and friends may visit from 10:30 a.m. to 12 noon. The memorial service will follow at 12 noon. Attendees are also welcome at a luncheon at the Ruthsburg Community Center at 1:45. In lieu of flowers consider a memorial donation to the capital repair fund of the Ruthsburg Community Center at P.O. Box 182, Queen Anne MD 21657 or to the Centreville Global Methodist Church.

Edward Arthur Caporin

February 2, 1933 - October 29, 2023