Former Vero Beach councilman Jack Capra, a Purple Heart recipient, dies in Tallahassee at age 56

Capt. John R. (Jack) Capra, interim general counsel at the Department of Elder Affairs  and a former Vero Beach City Council member, died suddenly in Tallahassee June 15. He was 56.

As one of the youngest members of the Vero Beach City Council, Capra was elected at age 35 and served from 2000-2002. He was re-elected to a second term, but never served. He was called back to active duty in the U.S. Navy Reserve after the Sept. 11, 2002 terrorist attacks, where he served alongside Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis in Guantanamo during the war on terror.

Capra, a retired officer for the Judge Advocate General, also served nine months in Iraq, where he earned a Purple Heart. The recognition came as a result of injuries sustained  when a remote-control bomb was detonated as Capra's vehicle passed by.

In a statement, DeSantis said:  “The first lady and I are deeply saddened to hear about the sudden passing of Jack Capra, who has served the State of Florida for many years. We send our deepest condolences to his loving wife Sandi and his entire family.”

While serving on the Vero Beach City Council, Capra donated his salary each year to a scholarship he established at Indian River Community (now State) College in honor of his grandfather, the late film director Frank Capra. The elder Capra directed such movies as "It Happened One Night," "Mr. Smith Goes to Washington," "Meet John Doe" and the annual Christmas favorite, "It's a Wonderful Life."

Vero Beach City Clerk Tammy Bursick remembered Jack Capra as a great guy who loved his community.

He began work in 1998 at age 33 as one of two assistant city attorneys

“I had spoken to him about five years ago when he was in town and called me to say hello,” said Bursick. “Jack was just a nice, nice guy.”

In 2000, Capra was a member of the City Council that endorsed a $19 million plan for Indian River County to buy Dodgertown to keep the team training in Vero Beach.

After returning from active duty, Capra moved to Tallahassee to work for the state of Florida, most recently in the Department of Elder Affairs. In 2015, he ran unsuccessfully in a Special Election for House District 17, losing in the Republican Primary to Rep. Cyndi Stevenson.

State Sen. Debbie Mayfield posted her condolences to the Capra family on Twitter.

“Jack’s uplifting personality and humble spirit will always be remembered,” wrote Mayfield.  “My condolences go out to the family and love ones of Jack Capra.”

Capra is survived by his wife Sandi, his daughter Rebecca Capra of Jacksonville, his son Ryan Capra of Jacksonville, and his stepdaughters Taylor Carpenter and Lexi Svall Nordgren (Jesper) of Miami, and his father-in-law Graham Blomquist, Jr., his sisters Maria Capra (Scott), Claire Capra Sleep (Mike), Theresa Capra-Roberts (Tom), Jennifer Capra Smith (David) and many nieces and nephews.

Capra was an advocate for service members and their service dogs including his beloved Labradoodle Rocco.

A funeral Mass will take place Saturday, June 25 at 11 a.m. at the Co-Cathedral of St. Thomas More, 900 W. Tennessee St., in Tallahassee. Burial will follow at a later date at Arlington National Cemetery.

In Memory

The family has requested donations be made in Capra’s honor to TCC Foundation Scholarships, 444 Appleyard Drive Tallahassee, Florida 32304.

Janet Begley is a local freelance writer for TCPalm.com. If you like articles like this and other TCPalm coverage of Treasure Coast news, please support our journalism and subscribe.

This article originally appeared on Treasure Coast Newspapers: Jack Capra, former Vero Beach councilman dies in Tallahassee at age 56