James J. Capone, Jr., born December 13, 1943, son of the late James J. and Regina R. Capone (O’Donnell), passed away at home on Friday, December 15, 2023. Jim graduated from Holy Trinity High School and Georgetown University. He also received an MBA in Accounting and a Juris Doctor from Rutgers University. Upon completing his education at Rutgers, he worked as a Staff Accountant for Coopers & Lybrand, now known as Price Waterhouse Coopers.
He then joined the U.S. Army, where he was promoted to the rank of Captain and served on active duty. During his service, he was assigned to the 4th Squadron of the 7th United States Cavalry, once led by General George Armstrong Custer. He also served as an adjutant for this unit.
Upon completing his military service, he practiced as a lawyer in Westfield and Hackettstown. He also held positions as a township attorney for Liberty Township and as a planning board attorney for the Borough of Stanhope. Throughout his career, he wrote several articles discussing the legal responsibilities of Real Estate Brokers and Salespersons towards their clients.
In 1974, Jim started his teaching career at Kean University. He became a Professor of Business Law and Accountancy and was a founding member of the Accounting Department. He wrote the Program Document that established the B.S. in Accounting degree and co-wrote the Program Document that established
James J. Capone, Jr., Accountant,
Attorney, Professor, Fmr. Councilman
the M.S. in Accounting. He served as Chair of the Department of Management Science, which was the largest department at the university. Later, he became Chair of the Department of Accounting. He also directed the Kean University School of Real Estate and was an eight-time elected Treasurer of The Kean College Federation of Teachers. Jim served two terms on the Westfield Town Council, where he chaired the Finance Committee. Later, he was elected as the President of the Board of Trustees for the Westfield Memorial Library. Jim is survived by his wife of 51 years, Annette (née Esposito); his son, Christopher, and his wife, Meghan (née Offer); grandsons, Connell James, Keegan Ryan and Declan Christopher; his daughter, Kerry Adorno, and her husband, Michael; granddaughters, Ryan Emilie and Madeleine Kate; his nieces, Jeanine, Amy and Elizabeth, and his nephew, William. He is predeceased by his sisters, Regina Capone and Elizabeth Sampson.
Visitation was at Dooley Colonial Home, 556 Westfield Avenue, Westfield, on Tuesday, December 19, from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. His funeral Mass was held at St. Helen’s Roman Catholic Church in Westfield on Wednesday, December 20, at 11:30 a.m. Interment with military honors followed at Fairview Cemetery in Westfield.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Jim’s memory may be made to the Friends of the Westfield Memorial Library or The American Heart Association.
December 21, 2023
