Douglas Fontaine

Douglass "Doug" Latimer Fontaine, 75, of Pascagoula, Mississippi, passed away Sunday, December 2, 2007, at his home. Visitation will be held today 5:00 to 8:00 pm at Bryant-O'Keefe Funeral Home in Pascagoula, MS. The funeral service will be held Wednesday, December 5, 2007 at 10:00 am at St. Pierre's Episcopal Church in Gautier with Fr. Hunter Issacs officiating. Internment will follow at Machpelah Cemetery in Pascagoula, MS.
He was born June 12, 1932 in Boston, Mass., to the late John E. Fontaine, Jr., and Sydney Hosford Latimer Fontaine.
Doug spent his formative years at Allison Well's Resort and Spa in Way, Mississippi which was run by the Wherry-Latimer-Fontaine families for over 100 years. He is a graduate of The Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tennessee and The University of Mississippi. Doug served in the U.S Army after graduating from Ole Miss operating an army-owned hotel/ resort in Germany. He moved to Pascagoula in 1957 to construct and open a new Holiday Inn Motel on Highway 90. Forseeing the tremendous economic opportunity of Jackson County he organized a group of shareholders and constructed La Font Inn in 1963 where he was general manager for 36 years, eventually becoming the sole proprietor. He was a third generation hotel owner and the only Mississippian to hold the positions of President and Chairman of the Board of the American Hotel and Motel Association (AH & MA).
Doug was involved in many civic and professional organizations, holding many positions of leadership, including Gulf Coast Hotel and Motel Association, the Jackson County Economic Development Council, the Mississippi Gulf Coast Economic Development, the Jackson County Chamber of Commerce, The Pas-Point Council of the Navy League of the United States, United Way of Jackson and George Counties, and others. He also served on the committee that worked to bring Naval Station Pascagoula to Jackson County and was chairman of the Task Force that successfully defended the Naval Station against the Base Closure and Realignment Commission proceedings in 1993 and 1995 preserving more than $100 million in annual economic impact. He was a director of the Mississippi Hotel and Motel Association, the Mississippi Restaurant Association, a member and past Chairman of the Governmental Affairs committee of the AH & MA.
Doug served as a director of Hancock Bank for over 30 years, a trustee for the Walter Anderson Museum of Art, and served on the Board of Directors of the Gulf Coast Symphony. He received the Humanitarian of the Year Award in 2004 from the United Way.
Doug is survived by his loving wife, Louise (Lou); three sons, Douglass L. Fontaine II and his wife, Jo Anne of Moss Point, MS, Patrick L. Fontaine and his wife, Amanda of Brandon, MS and Carl Cooper, Jr., of Helena, MS; one daughter, Rebecca (Becky) Daughtery of Alexandria, Virginia; grandchildren, Douglass L. Fontaine, III, Christian Ellis Fontaine, Elizabeth Annette Fontaine, Conor James Daugherty, Taylor Stanford Williams, Wesley Lamar Fontaine, Sydney Carolyn Fontaine, Noah Lee Cooper, Ryan Louise Cooper, and Kalin Sue Cooper; one brother, John and his wife, Eleanor of Jackson, MS; one nephew, John and his wife, Mary Ann; two nieces, Maury Lutin of New York, NY and Martha LaValla and her husband, Dom of New York, NY; one aunt, Leigh Latimer of Jackson.
Serving as pallbearers will be Jerry St. Pe', Joe Martin, Jimmy Estabrook, Robbie Maxwell, Jim Horne, and Art Creel.
Honorary pallbearers will be Dr. Robert McBroom and Jim Steadman.
Those who desire may make memorial contributions to the St. Pierre's Episcopal Church Organ Fund, c/o St. Pierre's Episcopal Church at 4412 Gautier-Vancleave Road, Gautier, MS 39553.
Those unable to attend may send online condolences to www.obryantokeefe.com.