Felicia DeLucia was born Felicia Barbara Lopata in Utica, NY on April 30, 1926. Her Polish-speaking parents, Josef Lopata and Aniela "Nellie" Wojnas, emigrated to the USA in 1912 from a region of Poland that was technically part of Austria before World War 1. Josef, a former army
cavalryman, opened a store and butcher shop on Utica's West Side, and was a kind and generous man who helped the less-fortunate. Felicia's parents wanted to become Americans so badly that Nellie was willing to cross the Atlantic Ocean in May of 1912, one month after the loss of
the Titanic. The two met and were married in Utica in 1920, and had four children that settled in the Utica, New Hartford and Paris Hill areas.

Felicia grew up as a very gregarious and athletic young woman. The family enjoyed time at a camp along the Black River near Boonville, NY. Felicia became the first freshman at Utica Free Academy who ever qualified to join the varsity cheerleading team. Her strength and balance helped her to excel at many sports including swimming, skiing, waterskiing and ice skating. Like her mother, Felicia was very strong. Recognizing the limitations of age, however, she stopped waterskiing at 80 years old.

During WWII Felicia met her husband Al, who was attending advanced training for the Army Air Corp at Hamilton College in Clinton, NY. It was a Sunday, and Al was looking forward to a blind date arranged by a fellow serviceman. A devout Catholic, Al went to Sunday Mass at St. Mary's Church in Clinton. At Mass, Felicia met Al and she invited him to a family picnic on Paris Hill following the Mass.

Al would later recount (often) that being invited to a picnic by this smart, incredibly-beautiful Polish girl was one of the happiest moments of his life. Al gave the blind date to an Army buddy and he made what he always considered to be the best decision of his life. Of course, they married as soon as Felicia turned 18, beginning a marriage that would last more than 79 years.

Al was deployed to the airbase in Kunming, China. At war's end, he took advantage of the GI Bill, achieving his BS from Hamilton College and his MS from Syracuse University. Felicia worked at Utica Mutual insurance company and Al worked at the West End Brewery during his time as a student.

Felicia and Al lived on Noyes Street in Utica when Al worked as a chemistry professor at the nearby Utica College. He then joined Federal Intelligence at the Rome Air Development Center, and the family, now seven persons, moved to New Hartford. At St. John the Evangelist parish, Felicia was involved with the Girl Scout troop and the Women's Club. As a member of New Hartford's Bowling League, Felicia excelled at bowling, and she always easily surpassed all the family members while bowling after Sunday Mass. Managing a household of nine persons was, naturally, a full-time job for Felicia. She tended to a large garden in the yard and the children first encountered canned vegetables in
college.

On top of traveling to picturesque or historic destinations around the eastern USA, the family spent a week together each summer at Camp Nazareth on Little Long Lake in the Adirondacks. Felicia and Al eventually bought a camp on that lake, and enjoyed spending time with the family there.

Felicia became interested in geography and various cultures when Al was able to include her in job-related travel. This interest was rewarded in 1974 through 1979, when Al was employed with the Diplomatic Corps at NATO's SHAPE Technical Centre in The Hague in The Netherlands. Felicia became involved in The Hague Women's Club.

Felicia loved traveling throughout Europe, enjoying the varying histories, geography, customs, and foods of many nations. She also volunteered to teach English at schools in Poland.

In their later years, Al and Felicia donated their time visiting residents of the Presbyterian Home in New Hartford, where Felicia's mother had been a resident. Each summer they volunteered with Hamilton College's Elder Hostel program. Felicia and Al left New Hartford and moved to McHarrie
Towne in Baldwinsville, NY, to be closer to their children. When assistance with living in a nursing facility was finally needed, Al and Felicia were fortunate to receive the loving, excellent care offered by the staff of Syracuse Home. Al died in November 2022. Felicia died peacefully in her sleep, with her daughter Ginny at her side, on December 11, 2024.

Felicia is pre-deceased by her husband Al, her son Thomas DeLucia, her sisters Stella Savicki and Irene Wuest, and her brother Henry Lopata. She leaves six living children: Ginny DeLucia Donohue (John), David DeLucia, Paul DeLucia (Cindy), Nancy DeLucia Essadiq, Deborah DeLucia Peters (Greg) and Laurie DeLucia Courtney.

Felicia leaves 8 grandchildren: Shanley Giglio, Adam Donohue, Alan DeLucia, Rachida Essadiq, Danny Essadiq, Jamie Essadiq, Adrienne Peters, and Jillian Peters Durand. Felicia has six great-grandchildren: Dylan Giglio, Gianna Giglio, Caiden DeLucia, Felicia DeLucia, Saafia Arteaga and Lydia Rose Durand.

As Felicia lived over 98 years, and Al lived over 99 years, virtually all their lifelong friends and relatives had passed before them. While Felicia will be long missed, some serenity, even joy, can be found in imagining the re-connecting of so many good people, and, most especially, the joyful reunion of Al and Felicia DeLucia.

A Memorial Mass will be held at 10:00 AM on June 28, 2025 at St. Mary's Church. 47 Syracuse St., Baldwinsville, NY 13027