Louis F. Cappelli Sr., 80, high school coach, principal

When Louis F. Cappelli Sr. was the football team center at Camden High School in the 1950s, he learned more than how to hike.

"His football coach at Camden High inspired him to be an educator," his son, Louis Jr., said.

So besides beginning his career as a physical education teacher at Moorestown High School in the late 1960s, he eventually became the head track coach and an assistant football coach there too, his son said.

On Thursday, Feb. 12, Mr. Cappelli, 80, of Collingswood, principal for 24 years at Triton Regional High School in Runnemede, died at his home of a heart attack.

Born in Camden, Mr. Cappelli grew up in a predominantly Italian American neighborhood in South Camden and graduated from Camden High School in 1952.

He earned a bachelor's at Trenton State College and a master's at Temple University, both in education, and served for four years in the Air Force.

After teaching and coaching at Moorestown High, Mr. Cappelli became vice principal at Triton High and served as its principal from 1972 until he retired in 1996.

He chose education as his career, his son said, because "he always just wanted to help kids learn."

"He was a great example for my sister and me as we went through our education."

Mr. Cappelli's son is a lawyer and his daughter, Lynne Ann Sireci, is a curriculum administrator in the Black Horse Pike Regional School District.

And, his son said, Mr. Cappelli "was very proud of his Italian American heritage."

In the 1990s, he was president of Lodge 494 in Collingswood of the Order Sons of Italy in America and in the 2000s president of the Grand Lodge of New Jersey.

Since the late 1990s, his son said, Mr. Cappelli was a member of the board of directors of the Cerebral Palsy School & Treatment Center of Camden County and since the early 2000s a member of the board of trustees of Camden County College.

In the 2000s, his son said, he was a member of the Collingswood Board of Education and, for a time, its president.

An appreciation on the Collingswood Public Schools website stated that Mr. Cappelli "understood that sometimes tough decisions were necessary and the toughest decisions were often unpopular. He made them anyway, because they were the right decisions for kids."

Calling him "a voice of fiscal responsibility," the appreciation said: "During difficult economic times, Mr. Cappelli ensured that the students were well-served while the taxpayers were spared any unnecessary sting on their tax bills."

Besides his son and daughter, Mr. Cappelli is survived by Patricia, his wife of 53 years; two sisters; and seven grandchildren.

Services took place Tuesday, Feb. 17.

Donations may be sent to the Louis F. Cappelli Sr. Scholarship Fund, First Colonial Community Bank, 1040 Haddon Ave., Collingswood, N.J. 08108.

Condolences may be offered to the family at www.carusocare.com.