Winward James Fontenot

Winward James Fontenot, 74, of Lake Charles, LA, died at 2:49 PM on Sunday, December 18, 2016 in a local hospital.

Mr. Fontenot was born April 12, 1942 in Basile, LA and was a 1960 graduate of Marion High School. He joined the U.S. Navy and served two tours in Vietnam as part of the Brown Water Navy and in the evacuation of Vietnam onboard the USS Blue Ridge. After twenty years of service, he retired from the Pentagon, where he worked four years for the Navy Special Warfare. Mr. Fontenot worked in retail as the manager of K&B Drugs in Jennings and attended LSU-E and McNeese State University. He shifted his focus back to the Navy and worked for the Navy ROTC at Southern University from 1988 to 1995 when he retired. For a number of years, he lived in Basile, where he served as the Alderman at Large for the City of Basile and served as the Mayor of Basile for a short stint. He was a member of St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church and was a past member of the American Legion in Basile. He was also a member of the Krewe de C’est Tout Bon, serving as the King in 2014. Mr. Fontenot enjoyed football, especially the Saints and LSU, and loved his family dearly. He was active in all things that interested his grandchildren. He also enjoyed barbequing and spending time in the backyard with his family. He will be greatly missed.

Mr. Fontenot is survived by his wife of fifty-two years, Mary Margaret David Fontenot of Lake Charles; daughter, Pamela Lynn Roy and husband Ernie of Jennings, LA; sons, Michael Wayne Fontenot and wife Penny of Lake Charles and Patrick Joseph Fontenot and wife Jennifer of Youngsville, LA; sister, Linda Faye Guidry and husband Dennis of Eunice, LA; grandchildren, Brandi Brown and husband Chris, Nicholas Roy, Devin Fontenot and wife Jessica, Sarah Rentrop and husband Trevor, Darbi Fontenot, Alaina Fontenot, Luke Fontenot, Derek Fontenot, Lauren Fontenot, and Lillian Fontenot; great-grandchildren, Drew, Dex, Theo, and Warner; and his special nephew, Bruce Matte and wife Whitney of Lake Charles.

He was preceded in death by his parents, Agnes Johnson and Murphy Joseph Fontenot; sister, Lucy Bourgeois; and his best bud, Gary Rossey.

His funeral service will be held at 11:00 AM on Wednesday, December 21, 2016 at St. Martin de Porres Catholic Church. Monsignor Jace Eskind will officiate. Burial will follow in Consolata Cemetery. Visitation will be at the funeral home on Tuesday from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM with a rosary at 6:30 PM. Visitation will continue on Wednesday from 8:00 AM to 10:30 AM at the funeral home.