Thomas P. Fontana

Thomas Paul Fontana, 69, of Faithorn, passed away on Tuesday, August 29th at his home. He was born on April 17, 1948 in Iron Mountain, son of the late Joseph and Frances (Larson) Fontana . Tom grew up in this area and attended Kingsford schools. He joined the United States Army in 1965 and served three tours of duty in the Vietnam war primarily as a crewchief on UH-1 Huey helicopters. He was honorably discharged in 1968. He was a highly decorated veteran and his awards include a Purple Heart, a Bronze Star and a Soldier's Medal for Heroism. He returned to this area where he worked at the family business (Fontana Aviation) as a mechanic. Tom also spent over twenty five years working as a union millwright for the Michigan Carpenter's Union. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, was an avid Green Bay Packer fan and an excellent cook. Tommy's passion for cooking prompted him to open Fontana's Supper Club in Iron Mountain and later Tommy's Supper Club in Spread Eagle. Both restaurants were truly a family affair and the entire family was an integral part of the operation. He took great pride in sharing his Italian heritage with the community. After his retirement, he always maintained a large garden. He enjoyed cooking, canning and sharing his bounty with everyone he loved. Tommy's huge personality was evident in his sense of humor. He always had a joke to tell and could make people laugh, even if the joke had been told a thousand times. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his brothers, Joseph and Mark Fontana; a sister, Rosalie Bailey and his nephew, Jim Steinbrecher. Tom will be greatly missed by his family. He leaves brothers, James Fontana of Iron Mountain, Peter (Annette) Fontana of Faithorn; a sister, Kay Steinbrecher of Norway; many nieces, nephews and great nieces and nephews. Visitation will be on Tuesday, Sept. 5th from 10:00am-1:00pm at Our Saviours Lutheran Church in Iron Mountain. Funeral services will follow at 1:00pm Tuesday at the church. Rev. Paul Strom will officiate. Burial will be in the Faithorn Cemetery. Condolences may be expressed to the family of Thomas Fontana online at www.ernashfuneralhomes.com. The family has entrusted the Erickson-Rochon & Nash Funeral Home of Iron Mountain with thearrangements.

Thomas P. Fontana

April 17, 1948 - August 29, 2017