Vincent Louis Teofilo

Dr. Vincent Louis Teofilo, age 81, of Los Gatos, California died at 1:50 p.m. on January 10, 2026, at his home, after a long, hard-fought battle with Alzheimer's disease.

Vincent was born July 2, 1944, in Brooklyn, New York, the son of Vito and Rosaria (Sadie LaRocca) Teofilo. From an early age, he displayed an insatiable curiosity and deep desire to understand the universe. A highly accomplished aerospace and nuclear power systems engineer, Vincent earned a bachelor's degree in Electrical Engineering from Manhattan College, a master's degree in Nuclear Engineering and Ph.D. in Physics from New York University.

He taught at Princeton University, where he operated the university's nuclear reactor. He then went on to work in fusion reactor development at Westinghouse, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Physics International, and Bechtel Inc. Vincent later spent 28 years at Lockheed Martin Space Systems, where he contributed to many landmark space programs, including the Hubble Space Telescope and the Space-Based Infrared System.

Vince was also a gifted athlete. In his youth, he trained as a weightlifter and played baseball. Throughout much of his adult life, he competed in tennis and enjoyed skiing. His greatest passion, however, was horseback riding and the sport of bird dog field trials. Beginning in the late 1970s, he owned and competed in many English Pointers, Weimaraners, German Shorthaired Pointers, and English Setters in American Field and American Kennel Club field trial competitions throughout the western United States.

Vincent is survived by his life partner and soulmate of 38 years, Kathy Shockey; his nieces Dr. Terri Carson, Barbara Brindley, and Samantha Walter; and his nephews Gilbert and Peter Brindley. He was preceded in death by his parents and his older sister, Dr. Grace Brindley.

No funeral services will be held in California. Vince's cremated remains will be placed with his beloved mother at St. John's Cemetery in Middle Village, Queens, New York. In lieu of flowers, the family kindly requests that memorial donations be made to the Dr. Vincent Teofilo Engineering Scholarship Fund (Fund #2142) at One-Time Donation - Hillsborough Education Foundation (https://educationfoundation.com/donate/one-time-donation/). The Foundation provides college scholarships for a school district of ¼ million students in Tampa, Florida. Contributions are tax-deductible and directly support scholarships targeting the fields of aerospace and nuclear engineering. Please list the “Teofilo Scholarship” or the Fund #2142 in the Special Instructions field with your gift.