Marion Ledet Fontenot

Marion Ledet Fontenot, October 2, 1930-March 21, 2020. Marion was born and raised in Baton Rouge, LA where she graduated from St. Joseph’s Academy and then Louisiana State University, with a degree in Education. She married a young Marine officer, Karl Fontenot, and left Louisiana for the first time at age 21. She spent the next 25 years moving around the country and loved living in many corners of the US, from Virginia Beach to Hawaii. Marion first worked as an elementary school teacher and as a librarian, but after having two sons turned her focus to the home. She frequently operated as a single parent when duty called Karl away to Korea, Vietnam and many other deployments. As a Marine colonel’s spouse, she made many sacrifices for the sake of family and The Corps. After her sons went off to college, she pursued her aspirations and returned to school to become a registered nurse. She worked as a RN in the early days of hospice, and then at a local military clinic in Virginia Beach. She and Karl, who passed in 2016, moved to McLean in 2006 to be closer (right around the corner in fact!) to their grandsons, David and Daniel Fontenot. She was a resident of Vinson Hall Retirement Community for the last 14 years, and during her time in McLean she attended every game, performance, and significant event in in her grandson’s lives. One of her greatest joys was watching LSU football with the two boys – and this year the Tigers brought her one last title! She is survived by her two sons, Keith Fontenot and his wife Maria Villen of McLean, VA; and Kenneth Fontenot and his wife Teresa of West Chester, PA; 2 grandsons, David and Daniel Fontenot, one step-granddaughter, Kristin Kunkle, and two step-great grandchildren, Ella and Silas Kunkle. She will be laid to rest with her husband, LtCol Karl J. Fontenot at Arlington National Cemetery, at a later date. Please make any donations in her memory to St. Joseph’s Academy, to Vinson Hall, or to the Lustgarten Foundation for pancreatic cancer research.