Community event to bid farewell to beloved friend

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Tony Caputo will be honored by the community on June 27.

SALT LAKE CITY – During the pandemic, members of the Catholic community lost loved ones and friends who, due to quarantining and other health measures, they were unable to fully mourn or say goodbye to. One such individual was Tony Caputo, founder of Caputo’s Market and longtime community supporter who died suddenly on March 10.

On Sunday, June 27, from 4 to 8 p.m. Caputo’s family and many friends will celebrate his life at a special fundraising event at Caputo's Market Downtown. Proceeds will be shared equally between two local organizations that meant a great deal to Caputo:  the 4th Street Clinic and the Crossroads Urban Center.

Tony Caputo, who was born in Price in 1949, lost his father Nick at a young age. Still, he persevered and became a successful restaurateur, owning and operating many restaurants over the years. He shared his love of food and people with his wife Mary and two sons, Matthew and Peter and gave generously to the community throughout his life. In 1997, Tony Caputo opened Caputo's Market & Deli.

“The best days of my life were spent working with him in the deli and watching how he would treat each person having lunch,” his son Matt wrote in a Facebook tribute March 10. “It didn't matter what color your skin was, if you were the governor, or a blue-collar worker. He made each person feel like an old friend by welcoming them with genuine kindness, respect, and hospitality.”

The Caputo family saw such an outpouring of love and were contacted by so many people after Tony  died who wanted to do something in his honor that they decided to set up the Tony Caputo Foundation. In his memory the foundation will “perform charitable work in the beloved memory of Tony Caputo, who espoused a multitude of humanitarian and environmental causes,” according to the Caputo Deli website.

Those who knew Tony are invited to stop by that evening for some jazz music, food and to share some memories. They are also invited to purchase a corn dog from the Corn Dog Company food truck because “Tony LOVED corn dogs,” Heather Aagard, Caputo’s social media content manager, said.