Captain Doctor John R. "Jack" Capra

Tallahassee, FL Captain Doctor John R. “Jack” Capra was received by our Heavenly Father on Wednesday, June 15, 2022. He was born on Thursday August 19, 1965, in San Diego, California. He is survived by his wife, Sandi Blomquist Capra of Tallahassee, FL, his daughter Rebecca Capra of Jacksonville, FL, his son Ryan Capra of Jacksonville, and his stepdaughters Taylor Carpenter and Lexi Svall Nordgren (Jesper) of Miami, FL and his father-in-law Graham Blomquist, Jr. his sisters Maria Capra (Scott), Claire Capra Sleep (Mike) Theresa Capra-Roberts (Tom), Jennifer Capra Smith (David) and many nieces and nephews. He was larger than life and filled his short life with many lifetimes of achievements. He graduated from East Lansing High School in East Lansing, Michigan in 1983 where he was the class president his sophomore and junior years. He participated on the football, wrestling gymnastics and swim teams. He boxed at the Lansing Community College program starting at the age of 13 and was the 1984 Golden Glove Junior Middleweight Champion, and 1984 Fighter of the Year, Junior Middleweight. At Florida State University he served in the 40th Student Senate, Lambda Alpha Epsilon, National Criminology Fraternity President. Member Code Review committee, FSU Model Board 1984, 1985,1986, member of Sigma Chi Fraternity, Historian, Ritual Chairman, Pledge Chairman, Pledge Trainer, Greeks Against Mis Management of Alcohol, Assistant Coordinator and was the Delta Man for the Tri-Delta Sorority. John R. “Jack” Capra received his undergraduate degree from Florida State University (B.S., 1989), his law degree from St. Thomas University College of Law (J.D., 1992), his Master of Laws in Taxation from the University of Miami (LL.M., 1998), his Masters of Business Administration from City University (M.B.A., 2001), his Master of Arts in Religion from Liberty University (M.A.R., 2012), his Masters in Arts in History from the Sam Huston State University (M.A., 2013), his Doctorate in Christian Studies from the Columbia Evangelical Seminary (D.C.S., 2014), and his Ph.D. in Forensic Psychology (PhD., 2022) from Walden University. Capra was a direct appointment to the U.S. Navy Judge Advocate General’s Corps in September 1990. Upon graduation from law school and successful completion of the Florida Bar and Naval Justice School, Capra reported to Navy Legal Service Office, Pensacola in March 1993 where he served as a prosecutor and Special Assistant U.S. Attorney. Capra’s subsequently served as Assistant Force Judge Advocate at Fifth Fleet in Bahrain from 04/94 – 11/95 and as Force Judge Advocate for Operation Deep Freeze in Antarctica 11/95 – 11/97. Capra left active duty in 1997 and served with the Navy Reserves in support of the Office of Military Justice, Office of the Judge Advocate General. After completion of his LL.M. in Taxation from the University of Miami in 1998, Capra served as the Assistant City Attorney for the City of Vero Beach, Florida. Subsequently, Capra served as a Taxation, Wills, Trusts & Estates attorney for the law firms Clem, Polackwich & Vocelle; Cummings & Lockwood; and Dean, Mead, Minton & Klein in Vero Beach, Florida. In March 2000, Capra was elected to the City Council of Vero Beach, the youngest person to have ever been elected. Additionally, he served on the City’s Municipal Planning Organization, Recreation Committee, and the Veterans Affairs Council. Capra was re-elected in March 2002 but declined his seat due to his return to active military service following the September 11th attacks. In February 2002, Capra was mobilized in support of Operations Noble Eagle and Enduring Freedom. From February 2002 until January 2003, Capra served as Staff Judge Advocate for Mobile Security Group Two, Norfolk, VA. Upon his return to civilian life, in April 2003, Capra was appointed an Assistant General Counsel with the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice, a position he held until January 2018, when he took the position of General Counsel/Executive Officer for Government Relations at the Northwest Florida State College. In 2020 Capra was asked to join his “shipmate” Governor Ron DeSantis’ administration in the State of Florida Department of Elder Affairs where he served as the Deputy General Counsel from October 2020 until his promotion to Interim General Counsel April 1, 2022, where he served until his death. Upon news of his death Governor DeSantis said, “The First Lady and I are deeply saddened to hear about the sudden passing of Jack Capra, who has served the State of Florida for many years. We send our deepest condolences to his loving wife, Sandi, and his entire family. Jack was a dedicated husband, father, and friend to many. Jack honorably served in the Navy, including in GTMO and Iraq, earning the Purple Heart and Combat Action Ribbon. After serving as city councilman in Vero Beach, Jack moved to Tallahassee to work for the state, most recently serving as Interim General Counsel for the Department of Elder Affairs. Jack assuredly left a lasting impact on all the communities he has served. He will be missed. “Words cannot begin to express our profound feelings of loss for our dear friend and colleague, Jack Capra” DOEA Secretary Michelle Branham said in a statement. “Everybody absolutely loved Jack-he was such a great person that brought everyone together. He was fun, vibrant, and truly had a welcoming spirit. Jack was brilliant, down-to-earth, and led with a servant’s heart. We deeply mourn with his wonderful wife, Sandi, and his family. Jack and his service dog, Rocco, brightened the halls of our department, and our hearts are broken”. Re-called to active duty in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, Capra again served on active duty from January to August 2004. Capra served as Assistant Force Judge Advocate, anti-smuggling legal officer and international legal liaison for Fifth Fleet to CJTF-7, Baghdad, Iraq. In March 2004 Capra was wounded in Basra, Iraq by enemy insurgents who detonated a radio controlled improvised explosive device under his military convoy. The U.S. Navy awarded Capra the Purple Heart and the Combat Action Ribbon. Capra was mobilized to active duty for a third time in support of Operations Enduring Freedom/Iraqi Freedom from January to June 2005. He served as Assistant Force Judge Advocate with Fifth Fleet in the Kingdom of Bahrain. In this capacity as an international operational lawyer Capra made several trips throughout the middle east including Iraq and the Horn of Africa. In July of 2006 Capra was mobilized for a fourth time in support of Operation Enduring Freedom to Joint Task Force-Guantanamo (JTF-GTMO), Cuba as Deputy Director, Staff Judge Advocate, and then as the Executive Assistant to the JTF Commander. JTF-GTMO maintains detention facilities to provide safe and humane treatment to enemy combatants. In March 2008 Capra was mobilized for a fifth time to serve with Joint Task Force-134, Detainee Affairs in Baghdad, Iraqi as the Rule of Law Strategic Operations Advisor and again for a sixth time in 2009 as Staff Judge Advocate for Naval and Marine Processing site, San Diego where he provided legal assistance for returning combat veterans. In 2010, Capra was mobilized to serve for a year as Assistant Staff Judge Advocate for the U.S. Africa Command in Stuttgart, Germany, where he was promoted to the rank of Captain (CAPT) in July 2011. Capra retired from the Navy Reserves in October 2014, after 22 years of honorable service. Among other awards, CAPT Capra, JAGC, USN (RET) is authorized to wear the following military decorations: The Purple Heart, Joint Meritorious Serve Medal, Joint Commendation Medal, Navy Commendation Medal (5); Navy Achievement Medal (3); Military Outstanding Volunteer Medal; Combat Action Ribbon; and the Antarctica Service Medal. Capra has been a member of the Florida Bar since 1992. Additionally, he is licensed to practice before the U.S. Supreme Court; the U.S. Court of Military Appeals; the U.S. Court of Appeals, 11th Circuit; the United States Tax Court; and all three U.S. District Courts for the state of Florida. Capra served on many local and national non-profit organization boards including K9s For Warriors and is a member of several local and national service organizations including the Veterans of Foreign Wars (life member); the American Legion; the Military Order of the Purple Heart (life member); the Freemasons Jackson Lodge No 1 and Rotary International. HONORS AND AWARDS The Purple Heart, Joint Meritorious Serve Medal, Joint Commendation Medal, Navy Commendation Medal (5); Navy Achievement Medal (3); Combat Action Ribbon; Outstanding Volunteer Medal; Antarctica Service Medal; 6-Time Paul Harris Fellow, Rotary International; Judge Advocate General's Association Reserve Lawyer of the Year, 2008; Freedom Foundation National Merit Award, 2006; American Legion Post #39, Legionnaire of the Year, 2001; Government Leadership Award, Italian American War Veterans of the United States, 2002; Arête Award, St. Thomas University School of Law, 2002. Worshipful Master of Freemason Solomon Lodge 2013, Appointed National Judge Advocate General for the Military Order of the Purple Heart 2022, Commander’s Coin of Excellence Military Order of the Purple Heart 2022, Third degree black belt Taekwondo, Licensed private investigator and Certified personal trainer. A Funeral Mass will be held in his honor at 11:00am June 25, 2022, at Co-Cathedral Saint Thomas More, 900 West Tennessee Street, Tallahassee, FL. Jack will be laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery. When Jack served as a Vero Beach City Councilman, he donated his entire salary to scholarships at Indian River Community College to give others the gift of education. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations to: TCC Foundation Scholarships 444 Appleyard Drive Tallahassee, Florida, 32304 Susie Mozolic of Bevis Funeral Home is assisting the family with their arrangements. www.bevisth.com 850-385-2193.Arrang

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Captain Doctor John R. "Jack" Capra

August 19, 1965 - June 15, 2022