Louis (Lou) Michael Del Pozzo, a 45-year resident of Pacific Palisades, died in his home on January 9. He was 93.
He was born on July 11, 1930, in Ridgway, Pennsylvania, to Lucy DeStefano Del Pozzo and Luigi Del Pozzo and was the last surviving sibling among nine sisters and three brothers.
Lou moved to Los Angeles in 1948 after his parents visited on vacation and determined it was “heaven.”
He earned an AA degree at East LA College before transferring to UCLA where he graduated with a bachelor’s degree in business and education in 1952.
A war had broken out with Korea in June 1950 and Congress passed the Universal Military Training and Service Act in 1951 to induct additional servicemen. Del Pozzo attended Officers Training School and joined the Navy serving as the Communications Officer on the USS Bairoko during Operation Castle (the hydrogen bomb test at Bikini Atoll) and then on the USS Shangri-La in the Pacific.
After serving in the Navy, Lou was able to pursue his chosen career, and in September 1956, started his dream job as a teacher at Culver City High School where he taught business classes (typing and bookkeeping) for the next 34 years. Early in his teaching career, he attended UCLA during several summers to earn a master’s degree in business and education.
Several of his students remembered him fondly, writing in a remembrance book “I had him in typing class and he was a great teacher and always smiling.”
Another remembered “He was the highlight of my education! Amazing how his humor, smile and sense of compassion left an impact on so many of us.”
Another former student wrote “I had the pleasure of having Mr. Del Pozzo as my typing teacher beginning in 1963. We stayed in contact throughout the years through the Internet, using the very skills he taught me all those years ago, which have served me so well throughout my career.”
After retiring from teaching, Lou worked part-time in the area as a real estate agent for Palisades Reality. He also served on the board of the Marquez-Knolls Property Owners’ Association.
He was well known among his neighbors (and their dogs) and for many years could be seen walking in the neighborhood every day at the same time (sometimes backwards), always willing to stop for a chat, a witty remark, or a friendly smile and wave.
A neighbor wrote that he was the “friendliest face on the block and the unofficial street ‘mascot.’ You will be very missed Lou!”
He is survived by his children Dominic Del Pozzo (Ginger Revercomb) and Gina Brogi (David van Beek), two grandchildren Nico and Lucas Del Pozzo, many nieces and nephews, and countless neighbors.