Mary Ann Fontenot

Mary Ann Olivier Fontenot

April 4, 1940 –  April 27th, 2025

Mary Ann Olivier Fontenot passed away peacefully on April 27, 2025, at her son’s home in Pensacola, Florida, surrounded by the love and presence of her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.

Born on April 4, 1940, in Opelousas, Louisiana, to Helena (Smith) and Louis Olivier, Mary Ann grew up in New Orleans on Rampart Street. She carried with her the strength, kindness, and vibrance of that upbringing throughout her life. A devoted nurse’s aide, she was the heart and soul of her family—known for her selflessness, warmth, and the way she made everyone feel at home.

On October 19, 1960, she married Donald Joseph Fontenot Sr., the love of her life. They settled in Reddell, Louisiana in 1963, where they raised their children and later their granddaughter Cheryl Ann. After Donald’s passing in 1988, Mary Ann remained in Reddell, where she found joy in visiting her children and grandchildren, spending time with lifelong friends, sewing, crocheting, and rocking on the front porch with her nephew Troy Fontenot. She also enjoyed the occasional trip to the casino.

She was an extraordinary cook—her kitchen was a place of comfort and celebration. Her banana pudding, shrimp étouffée, and meatball stew will be lovingly remembered and deeply missed by everyone blessed to gather around her table.

Mary Ann is preceded in death by her beloved husband, Donald Joseph Fontenot Sr.; her son, Cecil Louis Fontenot; her parents, Helena and Louis Olivier; her sister, Bonita Guillory (Olivier); and her brothers, Warren and Ivan Olivier.

She is survived by her son, Donald Joseph Fontenot Jr., and his wife Renee (Richard), along with their children Donald Joseph III, Cecily Anne Golden (Fontenot), and Madeline Cherie Ross (Fontenot); her daughter, Monique Smith (Fontenot), and her children Kristen Raphaella Smith, Lindsey Ann Lindsley (Smith), and Kaycie Nicole Coin(Smith); her daughter Constance; her grandson Lucas and his children Brian and Gracie; her granddaughter Miracle and her children; and her granddaughter Cheryl Ann Burgess (Dauzat), her husband Thomas Burgess, and their children Riley and Abigail. She also leaves behind great-grandchildren Karter, Elijah, Peyton, Greyson, and Callum.

Mary Ann’s life was one of deep love, quiet strength, and unwavering dedication to her family. She leaves behind a legacy of care, laughter, resilience, and generations of loved ones who will carry her memory forward in everything they do.

She will be interred with her husband at St. Anne’s Cemetery in Mamou, Louisiana, at a later date.