Below is an obituary from Farmer & Dee Funeral Home:
TEWKSBURY, MA — Felix A. “Phil” Fortunata, age 87, a longtime resident of Tewksbury, formerly of Wilmington, passed away at Heatherwood Retirement Living in Tewksbury on Wednesday, July 15, 2026.
He was the beloved husband of Sheila M. (Desmond) Fortunata, who passed away on December 21, 2021.
Born in Cambridge on May 14, 1939, he was the son of the late Anthony A. Fortunata and the late Josephine (Sarica) Fortunata.
“Phil” was raised in Boston and Wilmington and graduated from Wilmington High School in 1957.
Prior to retiring, he founded, owned and operated the Wilmington Transmission Company as well as Oakdale Liquors located in the Oakdale Mall in Tewksbury and Route 133 Liquors located in North Tewksbury.
In his spare time, he loved traveling with his late wife on cruises, trips to Florida, as well as vacationing in their motor home. In addition, he enjoyed riding his Harley Davidson, being a member of a pit crew for “super modified” class car races, following the Boston Bruins and playing golf.
He is survived by his six children, Maureen S. Tempesta and her husband Daniel, of Tewksbury, Mary C. Fortunata, of Woburn, Monica L. Tiner and her husband Kevin, of Hampstead, NH, Melissa M. Felix, of Lake Worth, FL, Michele T. Pondelli and her husband James, of Tewksbury and Felix A. Fortunata, Jr. and his wife Michelle, of Sandown, NH: fourteen grandchildren, Michelle Tempesta and her partner Zachary Gale, Lindsay Fortunata, Nicolette Keefe and her husband Daniel, Daniel Tiner and his wife Jackie, Jillian Tiner, Dustin Fortunata, Roy Felix and his wife Maribel, Joseph Fortunata and his wife Allison, Mia Rose and her husband Nicholas, Gianna Pondelli, U.S. Navy Petty Officer Second Class, James Felix Pondelli, Nickolas Fortunata, Hayden Fortunata and Owen Fortunata: his twelve great grandchildren, Ava and Daniel Grant, Adaline and Julien Keefe, Charlie Tiner, Penelope, Genevieve, and Eloise Felix, Ruth Fortunata, Josephine, Jackson and James Rose.
Phil was the brother of the late Anthony Fortunata and the late Theresa J. Daniels.
Phil leaves many nieces, nephews and extended family members.
Calling hours are Sunday, July 19, from 4-7 p.m.at the Farmer & Dee Funeral Home, 16 Lee Street, Tewksbury. His funeral procession will begin on Monday, July 20, at 10:00 a.m. at the funeral home, followed by his Funeral Mass at 11:00 a.m. at St. William’s Church, 1351 Main St., Rte. 38, Tewksbury. Interment will be after cremation. Kindly Omit Flowers.
Donations in his memory may be made to the American Diabetes Association, P.O. Box 7023, Merrifield, VA 22116, www.diabetes.org , the Wounded Warrior Project, P.O. Box 78516, Topeka, Kansas 66675, www.woundedwarriorproject.org or to the Tewksbury Community Pantry, 999 Whipple Road, Tewksbury, MA 01876. www.tewksburypantry.org
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