Tara A. Cappello

Tara left her Earthen body on May 23rd, 2026 after a life of service, kindness, dedication, and love. She is survived by her husband of 54 years, Carl, her two sons Odin and Ian, and their families (wife Leslie, daughters Isla and Nora; wife Jacqueline, son Quillan, respectively). She was the daughter of Ruth and Charles Moloughney, sister of Michael.Tara spent most of her life as a resident of Central New York, with the years of her youth in The Valley and other neighborhoods of Syracuse. Despite her connection to the area, Tara loved to travel, explore, and adventure. She and Carl lived in the high desert of Arizona for over ten years with few amenities and less plumbing; many lasting memories, formative experiences, and Odin, were made there. Tara also cherished spending time downstate, in New York City, the Adirondacks, the Bruce Peninsula in northern Ontario, and had the trip of a lifetime to Kauai with her family by her side. Though, of the places to steal her heart, South Onondaga was the thief to beat all; it is where she drove her deepest roots and built many of her strongest bonds.An echo of her selfless attitude, Tara spent her career devoted to providing aid to countless others as a Service Coordinator at various local agencies specializing in support of children and adults with developmental disabilities. In her four decades of professional commitment she formed unbreakable connections with the clients she served and the coworkers that would become family. Her time as an advocate for the less fortunate forged a fierce sense of human dignity, and with that came an unrelenting ability to stand up for what is right in the face of wrong.Tara had a deep appreciation for art of all sorts, from stage productions on Broadway to living room shows by her granddaughters Isla and Nora, classical works at the Met to the fantastical painting of her grandson Quillan. She was a voracious reader, from history to mystery, rarely without at least one book of a night, treasured trips to the theater for a popcorn movie or an art film, and even grew to love videogames thanks to her grandson. She was an actor, stage makeup artist, painter in oils and water, florist and bouquet wizard, music lover, Halloween costume master, Christmas ornament & stocking maker, Hallmark-worthy cardsmith, imagination partner, and tireless cheerleader of all your pursuits.Tara also held a deep appreciation for nature. Whether it was camping in the Grand Canyon or hiking the woods of Onondaga, she was at home. Spending time in her yard and gardens was among her favorite ways to pass a summer afternoon, cultivating beautiful arrays of vegetables, herbs, flowers, and landscaping. The harvests of her labors often found their ways into her lovingly and skillfully crafted dinners that filled an anchoring table of steaming, sumptuous meals, stimulating conversation, moral and ethical exemplar, and a faultless welcoming that reflected her devotion to her faith, God, and goodness.Please express your love and appreciation of Tara’s life and contributions by making a donation to Access CNY, hugging and kissing your loved ones, and giving a little more than you did the day before.Calling Hours will be on Friday, May 29th from 4pm to 7pm, and the Funeral Service will be Saturday, May 30th at 2pm; both will be held at the South Onondaga Methodist Church, 4389 S. Onondaga Rd. Nedrow, NY 13120. Thank you, and love to all.