Raleigh native, 1st female member of American Legion celebrates 100th birthday

Posted: Dec 28, 2019 / 09:46 PM EST

Updated: Dec 28, 2019 / 09:46 PM EST

RALEIGH, N.C. (WNCN)– The first female member of the American Legion is celebrating her 100th birthday this week.

Anne Capucille is a Raleigh native. She fought in Pearl Harbor and worked her way up the ranks.

“It was a great life,” she said. “It was a joy knowing you were doing a good job and it was appreciated, and this is the greatest country in the world anyway. We knew that from the beginning.”

After six years in the military, she met the love of her life, Henry.

Their ranks prohibited them from being together. She was honorably discharged so they could marry.

“And life took on a different meaning altogether,” she said.

Henry continued to serve. They traveled the world together and had four children.

“She’s always been a tremendous role model,” said her son Philip Capucille.

Philip promised his father he’d take care of her when he passed. His mother has now lived with him and his wife for 15 years.

“What originated as an obligation to my dad turned out to be the biggest blessing in my life,” said Philip Capucille.

He said his mother’s goal’s always been to make it to 100, so the milestone called for a celebration on Saturday.

Along with a beaming sense of humor, Anne Capucille also radiates wisdom for the many of us hoping to make it to 100.

“Judge people by what they are — not how they look or what they eat, where they live or what they do, but what they are, how they treat other people,” she said.