Joy Fontaine Shope

1929-2025

Joy Fontaine was born on November 20, 1929 in Jones Prairie, Texas on a farm

owned by her grandfather. Joy was proud of her family name and loved her

grandfather, “a country doctor.” Her parents were Rodney K. Fontaine and

Marietta Mapes Fontaine. She reminisced about her happy childhood with

her brother “Billy” and sister Ann.

When her parents divorced, Joy moved to San Diego with her mother. Here

she met William (“Bill”) B. Shope, a US Marine stationed at Camp Pendleton.

They were married on February 6, 1949.

Joy supported Bill as he graduated law school, passed the bar, then went to

work with San Diego Sheriff’s Department where he rose to Undersheriff, serving

under Sheriff Bill Kolender.

Joy and Bill had no children of their own, but their darling Dachshund, Mollie,

was their ever-present companion. Neighbors recall Joy walking Mollie in her

Point Loma neighborhood as she socialized over the years. She appreciated her

stream of visitors, especially those who brought their dogs who could choose a

treat from the snack jar at the back door as they left.

Joy was a strong woman and Bill was devoted to pleasing her. She was

devastated when he died in 2012, after 63 years of marriage.

For the last seven years Joy had the skilled in-home care of Gerri Castrence,

RN, and her team. In recent weeks, Joy expressed a desire to “Go home.”

On January 15, 2025 she did just that to join Bill and Mollie.

Her survivors include nephew Billy Fontaine in Texas and his family and Mark

Eckert in Oceanside.

Her survivors include nephews Billy, Jerry and David Fontaine, niece Cyndi Fontaine-Miller, their families in Texas and nephew Mark Eckert in Oceanside.