Capenos was devoted leader in community
Butler County lost a leader last week.
Warren R. Capenos, past president of the Butler County Chamber of Commerce, died Saturday.
Capenos grew up in Beaver County and moved to Butler County in the 1970s as a manager at the Kmart in Pullman Square. He also joined multiple organizations throughout the county.
Capenos was a 30-year member of the Tri-County Workforce Investment Board, previously known as the Butler Private Industry Council, and he served at one time as president of the Butler County Chamber of Commerce.
Stan Kosciuszko, president of chamber, said he didn't know Capenos when he served as the chamber's leader, but in 2002 the chamber started a program called the Past Presidents and Advisory Group.
“Warren was very active in that group,” Kosciuszko said. “He was very supportive and loyal to the Chamber of Commerce.”
Kosciuszko said many in the organization will fondly remember Capenos and his barbershop quartet singing at some of their events.
“Warren and his barbershop quartet used to come to the ladies golf outings and serenade the women with their singing,” he said. “He was a very pleasant guy.”
“I'll miss him,” Kosciuszko said.
Capenos also had a great sense of tradition, according to his daughter, Kathleen Barrett of Yorktown, Va.
She said her father took great pride in his community and helping it function, from getting people jobs to serving as a firefighter since age 14.
Capenos last served as a firefighter for the Buffalo Township Volunteer Fire Department, before he became chief of the township fire police.
“His father was a volunteer firefighter,” Barrett said. “I think it was in the family, and he wanted to continue that tradition.”
Barrett said some of her father's fondest memories were of as a camper at Lutherlyn in Prospect, which is a year-round faith-based camp for the Evangelical Lutheran Church.
“He was the first camper ever at Lutherlyn, or so he has always said,” Barrett said. “He'd been very proud of that.”
Barrett said her father always stood tall, and he placed himself in leadership roles knowing that he could change peoples lives. She said that may be what county residents will miss most about him.
“When nobody else would step up, Dad always did,” Barrett said.
