Geraldine "Gerry" Fountain Blessey

Geraldine “Gerry” Fountain Blessey passed away peacefully on June 29, 2020 at age 98. She was born Geraldine Ann Fountain in Biloxi, Mississippi, on April 16, 1922, to Henry Francis Fountain, Sr., and his wife Edmee Thensted Fountain. She grew up in Biloxi as a member of the wooden boat-building Fountain family whose patriarch was her grandfather, Martin Fountain, Sr., who built many of the legendary Biloxi schooners. She excelled academically, skipped seventh grade at Dukate School, and attended Biloxi High School, where she played trumpet in the BHS Band. In 1938 she married Walter J. Blessey, III, and early in their marriage they moved to the home site on Holley Street that would remain until Hurricane Katrina, having rebuilt after Hurricane Camille. There they raised three children: Walter J. Blessey, IV, Gerald Henry Blessey, and Tamalane Ann Blessey. In 1952 Mrs. Blessey joined the bookkeeping department of the Peoples Bank of Biloxi, and retired as Assistant Vice-President after thirty-two years of employment. Her time at Peoples Bank involved great changes, as banking operations moved from manual to computer systems, and she met the task by taking banking courses and leading her department in the transition to computer banking. During that time, she was named Lighthouse Business & Professional Women’s Club Woman of the Year. In 2014 Mrs. Blessey was awarded Mother of the Year by the Biloxi Lions Club. Always active in civic affairs, through the years Mrs. Blessey served on the Harrison County Democratic Executive Committee, Biloxi Housing Authority Board, Ohr-O’Keefe Museum Board, Symphony Guild Board, President of Biloxi Council of Garden Clubs and of Azalea Garden Club, and member of the Cleophan Club. Before Hurricane Katrina she was a member of the parish council for Nativity B.V.M. Cathedral, and later served Our Lady of Fatima Church as a rectory volunteer. Mr. and Mrs. Blessey held memberships in carnival groups, and she served as Queen of Hesperides, Queen of Les Perriots, and maid of the court of Revelers. For many years they enjoyed functions of the Mississippi Gulf Coast Jazz Society. She was a gifted artist, creating oil and watercolor paintings of coastal landscapes and flowers well into her 90s. Mrs. Blessey was predeceased by her husband W. J. Blessey, III, her son Walter J. Blessey, IV, and by grandson Walter J. Blessey, V, as well as by her siblings: H. F. “Buddy” Fountain, Jr., Stanton J. Fountain, Sr., and Jean Fountain Kridle. She is survived by Gerald Blessey and his wife Paige Gutierrez of Biloxi, and by Tamalane Blessey of New Orleans. She is also survived by grandchildren Stephen W. Pitalo, G. Paul Pitalo and his wife Michelle Weaver, Charlotte Grace Blessey, and Mary Paige Blessey. Mrs. Blessey is also survived by daughter-in-law Katherine Blessey and her children Michelle Hart Walker and husband Rob, John K. Hart and wife Gillian, Kimberly Hart Bissell and husband Nathan. She leaves to cherish her memory eleven great-grandchildren: Gage, Olivia, Morris, and John- Bradley Hart; Robert, Gabrielle, and Jackson Walker; Kasha and Charlie Bissell; Hudson Pitalo and Felix Pitalo, plus nieces, nephews, in-laws, other relatives, and many friends. The legacy she leaves to her family and community speaks of courage, faith, hard work, civic duty and loyalty to family—all the while aiming high, respecting others, and standing up for what you believe to be right. The family deeply appreciates care given by Debbie Roberson of Heaven’s Harbor and caregivers Rhonda and Shandy. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Gerry Blessey’s memory to St. Vincent de Paul Community Pharmacy, PO Box 1228, Biloxi, MS 39533 or online at http://www.svdprx.org, or to the Local History & Genealogy Department of the Biloxi Public Library, 580 Howard Ave., Biloxi, MS 39530. A memorial service will be held at a later date. Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home, Howard Avenue in Biloxi, is honored to serve this family.