A funeral mass for Robert Stephen Fontenot, Sr. will be held 4:00 p.m. Tuesday, March 27th celebrated by Father Charles Bucciantini at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in Hollandale. He died early Sunday morning March 25th at the age of ninety three. Graveside services will follow in the Hollandale Cemetery. Services are under the direction of Boone Funeral Home, Leland. Mr. Fontenot was born January 11, 1919 in Iota, Louisiana. Robert graduated from St. Frances Catholic High School in Iota, and on December 18, 1947 he married Susie Baronet. In 1950, Susie and Robert moved to the Mississippi Delta where Robert became one of the rice pioneers of the region. They established their home in Hollandale and were married for sixty years. In 1960, Robert initiated a semi-professional baseball team in Hollandale, MS which was active for four years. During this time, he became a major league baseball scout for the San Francisco Giants and continued to scout for the Giants, Philadelphia Phillies, and Los Angeles Dodgers for forty years. He was also very involved with the Baton Rouge Kid’s Baseball Clinic where he was later honored as a member of their hall of fame. In the early 1970’s Robert was appointed as a member of the Twin County Electric Power Association board of directors. At his death, he was currently serving as vice president. He is survived by his son, Robert Stephen Fontenot, Jr. and his spouse, Gayle; a daughter, Christine Fontenot; grandchildren, Sarah, Nicole, and Phillip; twin sister, Rosebud Baronet; brother, Billy Fontenot and his spouse Shirley; and numerous nieces and nephews. He was preceded in death by his wife, Susie; sisters, Pearl Reed and Ester Mae Longenbaugh; and brother, Henry. A visitation will be held 3:00 p.m. until service time Tuesday at the church.
