Lois Carmen Mitchell Caporale

Lois Carmen Mitchell Caporale, age 78 of the Orange Grove Community departed this world on Monday, August 15, 2005 at home surrounded by her family. Mrs. Caporale was born October 2, 1926, in Booneville, MS. She attended the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg. She moved to Orange Grove in 1963 with her late husband, Louis Caporale, and three children. She started the kindergarten program at Bel-Aire Baptist Church and later owned and operated Orange Grove Kindergarten, where over the years hundreds of children were taught with love and compassion. Mrs. Caporale was a member of MASCUS (Mississippi Association of Children Under Six) and SACUS (State Association of Children Under Six) where she worked with former governor William Winter to initiate the public kindergarten program. She was a member of the Court of the Krewe of Gemini for 2 years. She also belonged to the Star Twirlers Square Dancers Club and was a member of the Jazz Society. Mrs. Caporale traveled extensively around the world. She was also a published poet and won the Golden Poet Award in 1987. She was a woman who took pride in her work and accomplishments, but her greatest accomplishment was her family. She will be missed by those who loved her but the legacy she instilled in us will remain closest to our hearts. Mrs. Caporale was preceded in death by her parents Joel and Gladys Mitchell, a brother Joel Mitchell, Jr., and a sister Imogene Bonds of Iuka, MS. Survivors include her daughters Marene "Rene" Pittman of Gulfport and Janet (David) Quave of Woolmarket, a son Louis (Sandy) "Buddy" Caporale, Jr. of Dallas, TX. seven grandchildren Westley (Toni)Ladner of Bellingham, WA, Jennifer (Stephen) Hilton, and Casey (Vince) Husley of Woolmarket, Jessica (Matt) Holland of Woodstock, GA, Amy (Joel) McGee of Bellingham, WA, Davey Quave of Woomarket, and Chris Caporale of Dallas, TX., four great grandchildren Jonathan Hilton, Morgan Husley, and Erin Husley all of Woolmarket, and Carmen McGee of Bellingham, WA, three sisters Emily Odom of Shalimar, FL, Sara Barton of Lucedale, MS and June Ward of Gulfport, and a brother Manley Mitchell of Kingsport, TN. Visitation will be from 6-9 P.M., Wednesday, August 17, 2005 at Orange Grove Chapel of Bradford-O'Keefe Funeral Home, O'Neal Road. Service will be 11:00 A.M., Thursday, August 18, 2005 at the funeral home chapel. Interment will be in White Plains Cemetery. The family wishes to extend a special thanks to the staff of Quality Hospice.