WWII vet, barbershop owner and father at 100: His greatest accomplishment is ‘being alive!’
By CHRISTINA MAYO
World War II Marine Corps Veteran and North Miami Beach resident Nunzio “Baron” Capizzi holds up his 100th birthday pin given to him at a party hosted by the City of North Miami Beach. He celebrated his centennial birthday with his daughters, friends, and public officials.
City of North Miami Beach
Nunzio “Baron” Capizzi experienced one of life’s most impressive milestones Aug. 29. He turned 100 years old.
A World War II veteran, and later a barbershop owner, Baron celebrated his centennial year at a party hosted by the City of North Miami Beach the day before his actual birthday.
His two daughters, friends, and members of Congress and the Florida Legislature were all there at the Littman Theater to honor and appreciate him.
“We always were happy in our life. We were lucky. And a lot of our friends, they all say they wish that they had him as a father,” said Annette Capizzi, one of Baron’s daughters who attended and helped organize the celebration.
His other daughter, Nancy Lou Capizzi-Demeo, also helped organize and was at the party.
Baron served in the United States Marine Corps from 1942-1945 and received an honorable discharge.
He moved to North Miami Beach about 10 years later and opened a barbershop where he was fondly known as “Baron the Barber.”
Party honors included a cake, a pinning ceremony, appreciation remarks from public officials, and a “Happy Birthday” sing-along.
When asked the secret to life, Baron responded, “Don’t get stressed out, it’ll kill ya.”
His greatest accomplishment?
“Being alive!” he said.
A view of the Asif Farooq installation included in the “Where there is power” exhibition at Oolite Arts. The artist, who died in 2020, spent years recreating a Soviet-era MiG-21 fighter jet out of paper. Pedro Wazzan
Join Oolite Arts’ celebration of artist’s life
When artist Asif Farooq died last year at age 40, he was in the process of recreating an entire Soviet-era MiG-21 jet fighter in true scale, completely out of paper.
He had spent more than eight years on the project and had finished 85 percent of the work, meticulously crafted and authentic down to the smallest detail.
Today, much of his plane sits at a warehouse in unincorporated West Dade where Farooq’s studio team continues to work on it.
Oolite Arts will host a free virtual conversation about Farooq’s life and art called “Where there is power: Celebrating Asif”, 6-7 p.m., Sept. 19th, also the date of his birthday.
The plane is part of “Where there is power” now on display at 924 Lincoln Rd., Miami Beach. The exhibit is co-organized by Amanda Bradley, programs manager at Oolite Arts, and Réne Morales, chief curator at Pérez Art Museum Miami.
Also included are installations by other Miami artists whose works depict the volatility of our times.
“Asif’s epic Balalaika project germinated this exhibition -- the show was conceived and crafted around his work,” Morales said.
“Our hope with this program is for it to serve as a moment, long delayed by the pandemic, for the local artistic community to come together to celebrate and commemorate this remarkable individual on his birthday.”
Celebrating at the grant presentation to support renovation of the Doc Thomas House are Tropical Audubon Society Board Member Dan Jones, Villagers Vice President April Matteini, Treasurer Beverly Loftus and President Marie Vacca, and TAS Executive Director Paola Ferreira. The Villagers
Villagers help preserve historic house
It was a simpler time when the Doc Thomas House was built in 1932 on Sunset Drive. Designed for popular local pharmacist Arden Hayes “Doc” Thomas, the home was the first residential commission of renowned local architect Robert Fitch Smith.
Now, it serves as the headquarters for the Tropical Audubon Society and it is listed on the National Register of Historic Places as well as being named both a Florida and a Miami-Dade Heritage site.
The Villagers have continued to support Tropical Audubon’s preservation efforts with a recent grant of $10,000 for the completion of Phase 1 renovation of the house.
External work was completed on the roof, compromised sections of cypress siding were replaced, and work was done on windows and shutters. Non-original screens and awnings were removed.
“The Doc Thomas House is a wonderful example of early Miami architecture, which, like so many of the historic sites in Miami, is in the heart of a busy commercial district,” said The Villagers Vice President April Matteini.
“It has been a delight to drive by and see their progress, and The Villagers are proud to be a part of this ongoing restoration project.”
Write to ChristinaMMayo@gmail.com with news for this column.
.jpg "World War II Marine Corps Veteran and North Miami Beach resident Nunzio “Baron” Capizzi holds up his 100th birthday pin given to him at a party hosted by the City of North Miami Beach. He celebrated his centennial birthday with his daughters, friends, and public officials.")
