Fred C. (“Freddie the Barber”) Leocata, 90, of Methuen, passed away peacefully at the Twin Oaks Center in Danvers, after a lengthy period of failing health. He was born in Lawrence and was the son of the late Salvatore Leocata and Josephine (DiGaetano) Leocata.

Fred was a graduate of Lawrence High School, where he shared a special “birthday” bond with a group of 10 guys, including his good friends, Philip J. Manzi, Moe Bova and John Connelly, who called themselves “The January Boys” and celebrated their birthdays together most of their adult lives. 

He began his barbering career in Methuen in 1942 as an apprentice for Salvatore (“Sully”) Travato. As a senior in High School (1943), he began his first barbering job at Joe Ali’s Barber Shop on Newbury Street in Lawrence, where he worked part time. He used to practice on his brother, Gus, who used to ride on the handlebars of Fred’s bike when he rode to work. The rest of the week, he worked after school in the shoe shop in Everett Mills in Lawrence. In 1946, he went to work on Prospect Street, (where Kim’s Pizza is now), for another barber named Freddie, who became ill and sold him the business. 

He bought the building across the street (formerly the home of Lincoln Foods) in 1955. He wanted his shop to stand out, so he hired a respected architect from Boston and spent a year on the design and remodel of the front part of the building. He opened his new shop at 453 Prospect Street in 1956, where he toiled with great love, care and devotion until the Fall of 2013, when he reluctantly retired his tools and his business to his son, Kevin, who has worked by his side for many years.

Fred loved to reminisce about barbering “back in the day.” One of his favorite stories was of a customer he called “Chick” (Charlie Lopiano) who wanted a “baldie” back in 1956. His friends pitched in and bet him $50 he wouldn’t go through with it. Fred didn’t want to shave his head because he thought Chick’s mother would “kill him.”  The only person he knew with a bald head back then was an actor named Yul Brynner. But he gave in after Chick assured him that once his mother knew about the $50, which was the equivalent of a week’s pay for a lot of people back then, she would understand. Fred would laugh as he recalled how Chick told him his mother wouldn’t let him sit at the dinner table with the rest of the family!

Most of all, Fred loved people. He would recount with pride the many generations of local families... customers who would bring their children, then those children would bring their children... like the Rischer’s of Raymond’s Turkey Farm, the Mann’s and the Fitzgeralds of Mann’s Apple Orchard, the Rogers family of the Eagle Tribune and countless others. 

He was very generous, especially with his time. He was a well-respected president of the Master Barbers’ Association for more than 20 years, organizing monthly meetings and helping plan their annual dinner dance and Christmas party. He would tell of the big arguments the members would have about raising their prices as he recalled that the cost of a haircut was $1.25 back in 1955. As an active member of the Saint Alfio Society in Lawrence since 1969, everyone would hear his voice over the noise of the crowd as he marched each Labor Day weekend in the parade at the annual “Feast of the Three Saints.” As a member of the Methuen Lion’s Club since 1976, he tried to outdo himself each year by collecting more prizes for the annual summer cookouts and eating more salads at every meeting at Bishop’s Restaurant. The other guys started giving up their salads just to see if he could eat them all. He always did… and had no problem polishing off his dinner, too!

He enjoyed swimming at the “Y” in Lawrence, dancing to Big Band music at The Pavilion at Canobie Lake Park and at Bishop’s in Lawrence, league bowling, playing 45’s and, most recently, playing bocce ball in a league in Melbourne Beach, Florida, where he spent his Winter months staying with his eldest daughter, Joy, and her husband, Stanley.

Fred was predeceased by his beloved wife of 62 years, Irene T. (Parent) Leocata; his son, Dennis S. Leocata; his sister, Anna (Leocata) Nicolosi and her husband Sebastian; his sister-in-law, Loretta (Parent) Leocata, and his son-in-law, Stanley Wozniakowski.

He is survived by his loving companion, Carmelina (“Millie”) Milne of Andover; his daughters, Joy Leocata of Melbourne Beach, FL, and Tammy Leocata and her partner, Daniel Reitano of Methuen; his sons, Wayne Leocata of Lawrence and Kevin Leocata and his wife, Carolyn of Methuen; his brother, Augustine Leocata of Methuen; his grandchildren, Shannon, Lindsay, Nicholas and Angela and two great-grandchildren; his in-laws, Paul Parent of Haverhill, Jacqueline (Parent) Bolas and her husband, Roger of Hurricane, UT; nieces, Karen (Nicolosi) Rogers of Methuen, Deborah Armstrong of Hurricane, UT, Kimberly Christie of Michigan, and Laurie Parent of Haverhill; nephews, Raymond Nicolosi of Methuen, Paul M. Parent of Tampa, FL and Mark Parent of Haverhill.

ARRANGEMENTS:  Relatives and friends are respectfully invited to attend visiting hours Friday, April 24, 2015 from 4 to 8 p.m. at Charles F. Dewhirst Funeral Home, 80 Broadway in Methuen. His Funeral Mass will be celebrated at 11 a.m. on Saturday, April 25 at St. Monica’s Church, 212 Lawrence St., Methuen. Burial will be in Elmwood Cemetery in Methuen. For directions or to send condolences, please visit www.dewhirstfuneral.com or www.facebook.com/DewhirstFuneralHome.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to either the Lions Club International Foundation at www.lcif.org/donate or to the St.Alfio, Filadelfo & Cirino Society, P.O. Box 807, Lawrence, Ma  01842 (www.threesaintsinc.org/scholarships-and-donations).

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