Felix Anthony Cioffi

Felix Anthony Cioffi, 91, of Fredericksburg, passed away Friday, 30 December 2016, at Mary Washington Hospital. Born in Brooklyn, New York, on 24 September 1925, to John and Rose Cioffi, Felice (“fe-LEE-che”) Anthony Cioffi grew up with his five brothers and four sisters, of whom only Gloria survives. He and his brothers all served in the military. Felix served two years during the Korean War as a cadre in the Medical Replacement Training Center and Leadership School, enabling his subsequent schooling under the G.I. Bill. While working full-time jobs, Felix completed eight years of night school at the Polytechnic Institute of Brooklyn, from which he received the degree of Bachelor of Aeronautical Engineering. He was the only one of the Cioffi siblings to go to college. After graduating, Felix found employment as a design engineer and then as a wind tunnel test facility supervisor on advanced aerospace concepts, such as scramjet and hypersonic combustion tunnels at General Applied Science Laboratories in Westbury, New York. Felix also worked for a short while at Republic Aviation Corporation, flying in November 1969 with the Zero-G crew, which included several astronauts. Employing his degree in the field he loved was a hard-won experience he treasured. At 20, Felix met the love of his life, Millie, at her sweet 16 party. Known affectionately as Millie and Fillie, they were married five years later on 23 December 1950, remaining together 59 years until her death in 2010 after a 10-year struggle with Alzheimer's Disease. Felix was her primary caregiver throughout her illness, providing constant care at home. This obituary derives much of its content from his recent book, Alzheimer's: The Decline of Millie, self-published through Amazon. Religion was integral to Felix; throughout his house were tokens of Catholicism. But he rarely spoke of it, resulting in a silent dignity that welcomed those of other faiths. Felix is survived by his son Denis Cioffi and his wife Ellen Hornstein, his daughter Regina DiLavore and her husband Phil, and four grandchildren, Marc, Eric, Emma, and Tommy. The family will receive relatives and friends from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m. and 7:00 to 9:00 p.m. on Wednesday, 4 January, at Found and Sons Funeral Home, 10719 Courthouse Road, Fredericksburg. A Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, 5 January, at St. Matthew’s Catholic Church, with Father Paul Eversole officiating. Interment will follow at Quantico National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, Felix’s family requests that donations be made in memory of Felix and Mildred Cioffi to the Alzheimer’s Association, 2217 Princess Anne Street, #106-1F, Fredericksburg, Virginia 22401. Felix was a great man — extraordinarily kind, warm, and generous, he made all his in-laws feel part of his immediate family. Felice, both the Italian form of Felix and the word for “happy,” was an apt name for this person who brought good cheer and love to so many.

Felix Anthony Cioffi

September 24, 1925 - December 30, 2016