On Tuesday, May 9, 2023, Anna Caples peacefully passed away. She was 100 years, 8 months, 12 days old, over a century’s worth of history! She was the wife of the man she knew she’d marry, as soon as she spotted him entering the dance hall, the late Arthur Caples.

“You see that man over there?” She asked her friend. “I’m going to marry him!”. And she did. She was always a woman of determination.

Together they endured the trials of World War II, and when it ended they contributed to the Baby Boomer Generation with the birth of their daughter, Christine. Their second daughter, Susanne arrived 5 and a half years later, when they bought their forever home. A home that they enjoyed and shared with family and friends, hosting dinners, cook-outs, card games, celebrations of all sorts, and even ice skating parties and dances.

They worked diligently on DIY home improvements and expansions and created a warm, welcoming and comfortable home from the small, unfinished starter cape that they bought. And all through those years, they always put aside time for relaxation and fun. Camping in Maine was just the ticket for that kind of activity. First in a tent, then in a tiny trailer, and eventually in a permanent park trailer. The highlight of those vacations was a cross country trip with stops at Niagara Falls, the Grand Canyon, Yosemite, and all the way to the newly opened Disneyland in California. But as soon as the checklist of scenic sights was completed, they hightailed it right back to Maine to complete that vacation.

Anna had always worked at a variety of positions including Hugo’s Restaurant on the Cape and at CBS Hytron as an office worker, having taught herself how to calculate logarithms. After a short break from CBS Hytron, and being widowed at 52, she decided to tackle a different occupation, one closer to home. She became the owner of the Cake and Cookie Bakery. Although she was a tremendous cook and baker, she did not sell home made goods in her shop. She carried all sorts of delectable baked goods, made off site, as well as soft serve ice cream and even greeting cards. This was a very demanding job that required pre-dawn trips to bakeries as far away as Saugus, Lynn, and Revere even in that winter of ‘78! And at night, the paperwork!

She would take a “break” every afternoon to care for her toddler grandson (her favorite job) while her expectant daughter took a “break” from motherhood to work at the bakery. Her daughter, Sue would often take a shift at the shop, and Anna’s son-in-law, Sonny also pitched in, driving to various bakeries to bring the goods back to the store.

It was a family endeavor, and exhausting. Eventually she sold the business. She worked at a few other jobs, but inevitably did what grandmothers do, she became a full-time “Grams” to her 2 grandsons while their parents went to work.

Anna was never been one to be idle. Even as a young child, she worked with her cousins on her aunt’s farm, harvesting vegetables and churning the, “fresh from the cow”, milk for the ice cream.

Even when she wasn’t working Anna still kept busy. Before being widowed she loved square dancing with that man of her dreams. She and her husband could often be found do-si-do-ing 4 - 5 times a week. Together they also enjoyed wonderful times playing all sorts of card games with their family and friends, and even after her husband’s passing, Anna continued to be productive. She enjoyed sewing, knitting, crocheting, quilting, stenciling, cooking, baking, Bingo, bowling, teaching new friends Confusion Rummy, and going out for fried clams. Most of all she loved spending time with her family and was steadfastly devoted to them.

With the loss of her husband, Anna was unsure of her future. But good people surrounded her. Her son-in-law’s mother, Laura Cotti, always welcomed the Caples family into her home and continued to do so even after Anna became a widow. Laura was the one who introduced her to Bingo and bowling. They joined a women’s candlepin bowling league, where Anna often astounded her teammates with scores in the 100s, even in “old age”. The women of that league eventually became those friends who play cards and enjoy lunches out together. Shirley Horrigan who opens her heart and home to all, has welcomed, encouraged, and insisted on Anna continuing to participate in this after bowling group. She is an angel.

The caring neighbors on the street where she lived for 72 years have remained friends throughout. The Gilford family who watched over her from their home, the Bean family who shared many Christmas mornings together as well as visits to their vacation home in Maine, helped make this little neighborhood a truly wonderful place to live. The Caples family is grateful for knowing and growing with your families.

Those fun-loving square dancers who convinced the Caples family to park their trailer in Maine, Bea and Earl Keddy, were instrumental in introducing Bev and Herm Parker into their lives, as well as George and Eleanor Flathers and Anna and Gene Mahar who became very dear friends from whom Anna learned a number of crafts and with whom they and the Caples celebrated their children’s wedding together.
The Parkers were the square dance callers, and wherever they called, the Caples happily answered that call! They became the closest of friends.

In this telling of Anna’s life, the Caples family would also like to recognize the extraordinary care given her by Dr. Susan DeLuca and Dr. Alexander Dumous. They were instrumental in getting her to 100!
Anna’s life was full and blessed with dear friends and the treasures that abound in a loving family. She is survived by her daughters, Susanne Caples and Christine (Caples) Cotti and her husband Felix (Sonny) Cotti, their 2 sons, Gary Cotti and John Cotti and his wife, Elizabeth and their 4 children, Charlotte and Calvin Cotti and Jamison and Lily Green.
The family requests that, in lieu of flowers, please donate to your favorite charity.