Felix Lococo

Felix Louis Lococo was born on June 14, 1957 in Inglewood, California to John (Giovanni) Lococo and Katherine (nee Dosen) Lococo before moving to Redondo Beach, where he spent his early childhood. Felix’s father was an accomplished businessman, like all of the Lococo brothers; he ran a Tuxedo rental shop, a dry cleaners, and was involved with the business ventures of his other brothers including Lococo’s Restaurant and the Cockatoo Inn. Felix was proud of his family’s business acumen, but his true passion was aviation. His father, also a private pilot, supported his interest, and Felix found his first job in aviation at age 14, driving a fuel truck at a local airport. He spent every penny he earned on flying lessons, and earned his first pilot’s license by age 16. By age 18, he earned his flight instructor rating. He moved to St. Petersburg, Florida with his mother when he was a sophomore in high school following his parents’ divorce, and began his flying career there by towing banners, piloting for a small airline, and picking up airplanes for delivery all over the United States. He was admitted to the University of South Florida, and put himself through college by giving flying lessons. Felix often spoke fondly of this time in his life, relaying stories of his former students and their successes to his family and friends. He took joy in the opportunity that being a flight instructor afforded him to meet and speak with a variety of different people, many of whom he could still recall years later in great detail. He graduated from USF with a degree in finance in 1981, and continued on to attend flight engineer school in Texas. After becoming certified as a flight engineer, he returned to California, and began working for Air Traffic Control. After about a year, he received word of a job opening in the Los Angeles FSDO for an air carrier inspector—a job he would proudly work until 1990 when he relocated to Washington, D.C. One of Felix’s favorite things about being an inspector—aside from being involved in aviation on a daily basis—was the opportunity to travel. In his time as an inspector, he traveled all over the world, including to Australia, South Africa, Sweden, Micronesia, and to hundreds of locations across the United States and its territories, including Guam. His time working in California also introduced Felix to one of his best friends, Dennis Fogarty, whom Felix remained close with throughout his life. In 1986, he met his wife, Dorothy (nee Groat) Lococo, while they were both living at the Woodcrest Apartments. Dorothy was actually the one to ask Felix on their first date; she left a note on the windshield of his T-top Camaro and invited him over for dinner. They began dating, and eventually married in February 1989. In November of that year, his daughter Iris was born in Torrance, California. Although Felix—like his daughter—was an only child, Felix had seven brothers- and sisters-in-law through Dorothy, and Iris had a wealth of aunts, uncles, and cousins. In 1990, Felix was promoted and transferred to Washington, D.C. and the family moved to Virginia, where they would spend the next five years. While in Virginia, Felix enjoyed riding the tractor mower around the large back yard, riding his motorcycle, and spending time at Culpepper airport. He would sometimes take his daughter with him to hang out at the airport on weekends and introduced her to aviation. He even took her on short flights in his twin-engine Beech. His wife Dorothy sewed custom curtains for the plane before Felix flew them on a cross-country trip to visit family and see the sights. In 1996, Felix accepted another transfer to Wichita, Kansas, and the Lococo family moved across the country yet again. During his tenure as the manager of the Wichita FSDO, Felix made many friends, including Bruce Allred, with whom he shared a love of early bird weekend breakfast outings and motorcycle riding. Felix and Bruce even took a cross-country motorcycle trip to ride the “Tail of the Dragon” in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee, which Felix spoke about with fondness. The family home would remain in Kansas until Felix’s passing in 2022, even when his daughter Iris moved across the country to begin her MPH in Epidemiology. They visited frequently, and Felix always looked forward to traveling to Arizona or greeting his daughter for a visit home—especially when she would bring her dog along, as Felix was an avid lover of dogs, especially Shetland Sheepdogs and herding breeds. In his retirement, Felix enjoyed spending time with his three dogs at home, catching up on his favorite sci-fi books, and learning to bake bread and cook new Italian recipes. Everyone who knew Felix wishes they could have had more time with him, and he will be dearly missed for his dry wit, his wisdom and attention to detail, his careful dedication, and his love for his family, friends, and of course, flying. A Rosary will be held at 10:30 A.M. on Tuesday, August 16, followed by a Funeral Mass at 11 A.M., both at St. Francis of Assisi Catholic Church. A memorial has been established with the Kansas Humane Society in Felix’s honor, 3313 N. Hillside, Wichita, KS 66219. Downing & Lahey West Mortuary.