William Kenneth Fontaine

William Kenneth Fontaine was born on July 16, 1933, in Martinsville, Virginia, to Carrie and John Fontaine. He was preceded in death by his parents and six of his seven siblings: John Pace, Eloise, Dorothy, Pauline, Wesley and Rico. He attended two years of college at Columbus Technical Institute, and gave Career Service in the United States Air Force. Subsequently, he was employed at DSC, his last job, from which he retired. He was married for several years in the 1980’s. His family moved to Columbus in the early 1950’s. William, affectionately known to all as “Bill,” joined Bethany Presbyterian Church, along with his parents, in 1955. During his 57 years of membership at Bethany, Bill was actively involved in many aspects of the church’s ministry and fellowship. At the time of his passing, he held the longest continuous membership in the Chancel Choir. In 1990, Bill was ordained an Elder and served on Session. In 1999, he was ordained a Deacon, and was the Moderator during most of the years that he served on that board. In that capacity, he was meticulous in his duties related to preparing for Holy Communion and ministry to the needy and the bereaved. As an active member of Presbyterian Men, he was often found working in the kitchen, helping to prepare meals for a variety of church fellowships and fund raisers. He was a longtime member of Bethany’s B.R.E.A.D. Justice Ministry Team. For the past several years, Bill had taken on the responsibility of keeping the outdoor sign updated weekly. He was always doing small repairs, updates, and little tasks around the church, often at his own expense. A person of faith, he faithfully supported his church with his time, talents and resources. Quite the fisherman and gardener, Bill’s friends will miss the fresh vegetables he generously shared all through the growing season. Everyone knew about Bill’s collection of cars, which he kept in tip-top shape and always spotless. He used them generously, transporting people to medical appointments, to and from the airport, and meeting various church needs. Having been diagnosed with cancer several years ago, Bill made regular trips to the Cleveland Clinic for treatments. Despite his health issues, he still took road trips all over the country to funerals and other events involving his extended family. Tragically, it was on his return from a family funeral on Friday May 25, 2012, that he was involved in a fatal accident in West Virginia.