Mass of Christian Burial for Paul Fonteyn, 81, of Minneota, will take place at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, October 11, 2024, at St. Edward Catholic Church in Minneota. Visitation will be Thursday from 4:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. with a Prayer Service at 7:30 p.m. at the Horvath Remembrance Center in Minneota. Visitation will continue on Friday from 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. at the Remembrance Center. Interment will take place at St. Edward Catholic Cemetery on Friday. Military Honors provided by U.S. American Legion Post 199 of Minneota and Post 604 of Taunton.
Paul Henry Fonteyn was born on December 4, 1942, in Marshall, MN, to Leo and Agnes (Koltze) Fonteyn. He grew up on a farm south of Minneota and graduated from Minneota High School. Paul was drafted into the U.S. Army and served from 1964 – 1966 on an Air Force base in Okinawa during the Vietnam War. He worked for a time at Park Gopher Jeep in Burnsville. On November 9, 1968, he was united in marriage to Cleila “Sis” Kaas. The couple lived in Ghent for a few years before moving to Minneota in 1973. Paul began his career with the MGT Co-op in Ghent in 1971. In 1973, he began delivering propane and servicing furnaces and other equipment for the company. He retired on January 1, 2015, after 44 years. Paul stayed busy with many activities including repair work and farm work for Dennis Swedzinski Jr., Universal Forest Products and others. He was very mechanically inclined and enjoyed working on tractors, lawn mowers and other equipment. He was very meticulous and organized. Paul enjoyed tending to his lawn and his garden. He also was a fan of RED tractors and had a collection of international harvester replicas. Paul greatly enjoyed his social gatherings with friends.
Paul died tragically and unexpectedly on Monday, October 7, 2024, in Minneota.
He is survived by his wife, Cleila “Sis” Fonteyn, of Minneota; daughter Kim (Tom) Abraham of Minneota, and their children Emily (Shane) Runge, Natalie (Everett) Van Hecke, Landon Abraham; son Michael Fonteyn of Taunton; daughter Carmen (Steve) Larson and their children Marissa (Kyle) Miller and Megan Larson; son Mark Fonteyn (Brenna Schuttler) of Minneota and her son Garrett Schuttler; great-grandchildren Averi Hennen, Isla Miller and Henry Miller; siblings LeRoy (Dianne) Fonteyn of St. Paul Park, David (Stella) Fonteyn of Staples, MN, Karen (Dale) Swedzinski of Minneota, Larry (Sue) Fonteyn of Buffalo, nieces, nephews, relatives and friends. He was preceded in death by his parents and nephew Jeff Fonteyn.
