Obituary of Michel Fontaine

LEICESTER – Michel Fontaine, age 80, passed away on Monday, January 31, 2022, at his residence.

Michel was born June 25, 1941, in Paris, France to the late Emile Henry Fontaine and Jeanne Rolland Fontaine. After having a restaurant in Paris, Michel came to the US 41 years ago with a culinary degree. He worked at restaurants in Florida and he and his wife opened a bakery in Deerfield Beach, FL. They also catered art shows and music festivals from Florida to Chicago for over 33 years. They moved to Buncombe County 25 years ago and the two of them opened Paris French Bakery on Merrimon Avenue in Asheville and lastly, they opened Fontaine Vineyard Wedding Venue in Leicester. Their wine has won the Gold Medal at the Asheville Wine Festival.

Surviving is his wife, Jacqueline Fontaine; four children, Veronique Fontaine, Laurent Fontaine and his wife, Angela, Veronique Smith and her husband, Grady, and Isabelle Evans and her husband, Robert; grandchildren, Yohanne Fontaine, Romain Fontaine, Jean Philippe Fontaine, Danielle Fontaine, Savanah Lewis, Chrystal Hibbs, Justin Hibbs, Alexis Hibbs, Greg Smith, Gaige Evans, and Kynnedi Evans; great grandson, Noah Lewis who was the light of his life. Also surviving are Michel’s mother-in-law, Genevieve Rocher; brother-in-law, Gerard Chatnet; sister-in-law, Mechthild Kreindel; and close friends, Blandine Carton and Donna Kennedy.

There will be a Liturgy of the Word at 2:30 PM on Sunday, February 6, 2022, in the Chapel of West Funeral Home with Very Rev. Fr. Roger K. Arnsparger, VE. Burial will follow in Green Hills Cemetery, Asheville.

The family will greet friends from 1:30 to 2:30 PM on Sunday at the funeral home.

The family requests masks be worn for the service. Those who choose, may listen to the service on their car radio by tuning into FM 87.7, while in the parking lot of the funeral home.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Michel’s honor to the American Cancer Society, P.O. Box 42040, Oklahoma City, OK 73123.

For those who desire, condolences may be offered to the family under Mr. Fontaine’s obituary at www.WestFamilyFuneralServices.com.