Earl Jules Fontan Jr.

Earl Jules (“E. J.”) Fontan, Jr. peacefully entered eternal rest on June 7, 2021 at the age of 81. He was a native of New Orleans, Louisiana. He was the son of the late Earl Jules Fontan, Sr and Camile Dorothy Ford Fontan and the brother of the late Lawrence Jules Fontan and the father of the late Joseph B. Fontan and Jacques Jules Fontan. He worked for many years at the Times-Picayune and the States Item, he also worked for Royal Oldsmobile, McIlwaine Cadillac and other car dealerships until he finally found his true calling as a Chef. He worked in area restaurants and for Sonoco Offshore Catering. Chef Earl never really retired and spent post-Katrina years serving mission groups from across the country through the Church of the Annunciation’s Annunciation Mission where he shared his love for local cuisine and the City of New Orleans. Earl belonged to Masonic Lodges Arthur Retif #473, Andrew Jackson #428 and Level #373. Survived by daughters Suzanne Fontan Gonczy (Todd) and Cheri Fontan Skop (Jay), son Jean Paul Fontan (Carrie) and daughter-in-law Charissa Fontan Westfall; niece Monique Hamilton, nephews Andre and Etienne Fontan, 11 grandchildren and one great-grand daughter. The family would like to extend our deepest thanks to Earl’s Masonic Brothers for their love and support. We also thank the staff, nurses and aides of Chateau de Notre Dame Nursing Home and Notre Dame Hospice. Visitation will begin at 11:00 AM on June 18, 2021 at Greenwood Funeral Home, 5200 Canal Blvd, New Orleans, LA 70124 with an Episcopal funeral service following at 1:00 PM. Burial will be at Greenwood Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Navy SEAL Foundation, In Memory of Earl Fontan, 1619 D Street, Virginia Beach, VA 23455 or online at navysealfoundation.org/donate.

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