John S. Caputo

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John S. Caputo III, age 76 of Belle Fourche died Sunday June 14, 2020 at Monument Health Spearfish Hospital.

John’s life will be celebrated 10am Friday, June 19, 2020 at Leverington Funeral Home of the Northern Hills in Belle Fourche.  It will also be live streamed on the funeral home’s website.  A visitation will be held 5 to 7pm Thursday.  Both services are open to the public.  Inurnment will take place in Black Hills National Cemetery, with military honors provide by the Sturgis Veterans Honor Guard.

John Sarafina Caputo was born April 20, 1944 in Washington D.C.  He was the son of John S. and Mary Belle (Schueller) Caputo.  John attended Suitland High School and soon after graduating he enlisted in the U.S. Navy.  John served his country from 1963 to 1966 and during this time he served onboard the U.S.S. Enterprise Aircraft Carrier.  There he parked and serviced various aircraft and was given the nickname “Popeye” because of his big forearms.  After being honorably discharged he was united in marriage to Toni Turmelle.  To this union a daughter and a son were born: Kerri and Kenny.  Following their marriage the couple lived in Maryland and later Phoenix AZ.  They later divorced.  During his many years of living in Phoenix, John worked at Southwest Products where he engineered and serviced Lube Service Trucks for 22 years. 

In 1989 John was united in marriage to Colleen Stevens in Phoenix.  In 2006 they moved to Belle Fourche where John drove school bus for 13 years.  John also drove the Prairie Transit Bus, and worked at the Belle Fourche Community Rec Center.  John loved living in Belle Fourche.  He enjoyed bowling, driving 4-wheel atv’s, hiking, and he was an avid collector of M & M’s memorabilia.  He loved his family very much, especially those grandchildren of his. 

John is survived by his wife Colleen of Belle Fourche; daughter, Kerri (Cody) Stidham of Phoenix AZ; step-daughter, Shawn (Travis) Sorenson of Sturgis; 5 grandchildren, Ashleigh (Sam) Reid, Randall Savage, Logan Caputo, Travis Sorenson Jr., Rebecca (Tyler) Romine; and 1 great granddaughter, Brooklyn Marie Savage.  He is also survived by his sister, Jenny (Alan G.) Fouse of Ridgecrest CA; nephews, John Farmer of Liberty Hill TX, Gary Farmer of Cost Rica; and a close friend and former son-in-law, Jefferson Savage of Bristo OK.

He was preceded in death by his parents, and his son, Kenny Caputo.

Celebration of Life

10:00 A.M. – Friday – June 19, 2020

Leverington Funeral Home

of the Northern Hills

Belle Fourche, South Dakota

Officiant - Pastor Tim Smith

Music

“Go Rest High on that Mountain”,

“I Can Only Imagine”, “Hallelujah”

(Recorded)

Honorary Urnbearers

John Farmer              Louie Huerta

Vickey Kremer      Jefferson Savage         Lukas Stevens

Active Urnbearers

Tyler Romine                    Randall Savage

Travis Sorenson Sr.        Travis Sorenson Jr.

Inurnment

Black Hill National Cemetery

Sturgis, South Dakota

Military Rites

Sturgis Veterans Honor Guard

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