Felicia Cornwell

Felicia Mohaupt Cornwell

July 5, 1932 ~ August 20, 2018

Felicia was born on July 5, 1932 to Frank and Julia Mohaupt in Chicago, IL.  In the 1960’s, Felicia became an early adopter to health foods and daily exercise. Don’t Quit, Keep Going, Enjoy Life – these were words she lived by. This kept her vivacious and active well into her early 80’s. Unfortunate health events led to a three-year struggle with declining health. Felicia passed away at home on August 20, 2018.

Born the first of two children she spent her early years near Rockford, IL. She lived an active outdoor lifestyle on a 14-acre island in the Rock River and attended a one-room school house through the 8th grade. After completing high school and a year of college, she joined her family that had moved to San Diego and began work as a secretary to fund her dream of completing college. Felicia liked to make the most of her time and enjoy life. For example, she found a golf course near her bus stop, played 9 holes most mornings then caught the bus to work.

The secretary job did not fulfill her sense of adventure so Felicia entered the Air Force in 1953 and served for two and a half years before taking an early discharge to attend college. While stationed at Otis Air Force Base in Cape Cod, MA, she served as one of three women in the 437th fighter squadron as a flight line radio technician. She wanted to “be as close to the fighter jets as she could get” and was one of the first women to fly in a fighter jet to test a radio. The pilot of the test flight did not hold back performing many aerobatic maneuvers, and all were amazed when she emerged from the flight, cool, unperturbed, and ready for another go. Ben, also at Otis Air Base, fell in love with her feisty attitude and left-handed salute (for noncommissioned officers only). Felicia and Ben were married June 8, 1955 in Falmouth, MA.

After being discharged from the Air Force, the couple moved to Blacksburg, VA to attend Virginia Polytechnic Institute (Virginia Tech). Felicia completed her Bachelor and Masters degrees in four years by taking full course loads including summers and gave birth to her first child.

During their marriage they wandered the USA as corporate gypsies and lived in numerous locations including Massachusetts, Virginia, California (four locations), Wisconsin, Tennessee, Georgia, Ohio and Ogden, Utah (twice). They also traveled extensively, visited 48 states (including Hawaii), and toured Mexico, Canada, Italy, Jamaica and Venezuela. They completed numerous cross-country trips by car, camper and RV.

Felicia practiced real estate in a career that spanned 40 years and participated in numerous volunteer activities including League of Women Voters, Columbus Ohio Zoo Docent (specializing in birth watch for the gorillas and polar bears), Habitat for Humanity, and was a member of the Congregational United Church of Christ where she was the financial secretary and a Master Gardener for 15 years. She was active in her children’s and grandchildren’s sports activities and rarely missed a practice or game. She was a surrogate team mother/grandmother to many a child. Felicia took up hockey at age 63 and played for 5 years. In her 60’s she pursued her pilots license until her husband informed her ‘there was no way in hell he’d be her aircraft mechanic’.

Felicia is survived by Ben, her husband of 63 years; daughter, Sara Cornwell, Knoxville, TN; son and daughter-in-law, Joe and Kathy Cornwell, Huntsville, UT; grandson and granddaughter-in-law, Walker and Kaela Cornwell, Ogden, UT, who are the parents of her great grandson, Benjamin Louis; and grandson, Raleigh Cornwell, Ogden, UT.

Felicia's graveside service will be at 10a.m. on Monday, August 27, 2018 at the Lindquist’s Memorial Gardens of the Wasatch, 1718 Combe Road in Ogden, UT.  Services entrusted to Lindquist’s Ogden Mortuary.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to:

Congregational United Church of Christ

(please specify ‘Felicia's Garden and Grounds Memorial’ on the memo line)

3350 Harrison Blvd.

Ogden, UT 84403

A reception will be held immediately following the service at the Congregational United Church of Christ.

The family wishes to express their appreciation to everyone who has supported them during this time with special recognition and heartfelt thanks to Ann for following Christ’s spirit to support Felicia for the last 6 years, to the devoted caregivers from Home Care Assistance, and the excellent hospice professionals from Hearts for Hospice and Home Health.