Louise P. Fontecchio

She was born on March 26, 1930, in Iron Mountain, daughter of the late Ceasar and Katherine (Mendini) Orella. She attended Iron Mountain Schools, graduating from Iron Mountain High School in 1948. She married Anthony Fontecchio on Aug. 27, 1949, in Milwaukee. He preceded her in death on Sept. 9, 1991, after more than 42 wonderful years together.

Louise was a lifelong resident of Iron Mountain. She was a longtime member of the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church and a former member of Pine Grove Country Club, the Daughters of Isabella and the Red Hat Society. For many years, her and her friends, known as the “Golden Girls” would meet for lunch and many laughs. In her free time she loved playing golf, cooking and crocheting. She especially loved spending time with her family and friends. She remained young at heart and always jumped at the chance to go on mini-adventures with her great-grandchildren, who she lived for.

Louise is survived by her daughter, Patti (Jeffrey) Gill of Iron Mountain; a son, John (Kelly) Fontecchio of Plymouth, Minn.; four grandchildren, Kristi (Michael) Solda of Norway, Julie (David) VanHolla of Norway, Karen (Dan) Luckow of Appleton, Wis., and Allison Fontecchio of Plymouth, Minn.; seven great-grandchildren, Matt and Tony Solda, Ada, Jeff and Donna VanHolla, Drew and Natalie Luckow; sisters, Jeanette Roecker of Louisville, Ky., and Bette Jean (Lynn) Gordon of Mosinee, Wis.; sisters-in-law, Marie Orella and Clare Fontecchio; and many nieces and nephews.

She was preceded in death by a sister, Bernadette (Jack) Taylor; brothers, Bernard (Dorothy) Orella and Francis Orella; mother and father-in-law, Assunta and Isadoro Fontecchio; sisters-in-law, Yolanda (Dick) Tierney, Marian (Otto) Bottger, Lillian (Gerald) Witter, and Elaine (Lefty) Osieczonek; brothers-in-law, William Roecker, Jim (Lorraine) Fontecchio, August Fontecchio, Vis (Louise) Fontecchio, and John Fontecchio; a very special niece, Julie Taylor.

Visitation will be 11 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, April 14 at the Erickson-Rochon & Nash Funeral Home in Iron Mountain.

A memorial Mass will follow at 1 p.m. at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church. Fr. Raymond Valerio will offer the Mass of Christian Burial.

Burial will be in Iron Mountain Cemetery Park.

In lieu of flowers a memorial will be established in her memory.

The family would like to thank the staff of the Freeman Nursing and Rehabilitation Community for their kind and compassionate care of Mom over the past 2-1/2 years.

Condolences to the family of Louise P. Fontecchio may be expressed online at www.ernashfuneralhomes.com.

The family has entrusted the Erickson-Rochon & Nash Funeral Home of Iron Mountain with the funeral arrangements.