Giovanni Fontecchio

Giovanni Fontecchio, 87, of Gulfport, MS passed away Tuesday, March 17, 2026.

Born January 28, 1939, Giovanni was a devoted son of the late Luigi and Rosaria Di Girolamo. A native son of Bussi sul Tirino, Pescara, Italy, he became an American citizen and long-time resident of Mississippi, Louisiana, and Michigan after he joined his mother in the United States in 1955. His father, a tailor, had come to work in Iron Mountain, Michigan.

Through grants and scholarships, Fontecchio was able to go to college and began teaching high school Spanish and French. In 1966, he applied to and was accepted to Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge for a master’s degree in languages, where he also later earned a Ph.D.

When he was studying at LSU, he heard of a position at the University of Southern Mississippi in Hattiesburg to teach Spanish and Italian. Although he was not keen on Mississippi, he decided to try the job for two years. He taught Italian and Spanish at the University of Southern Mississippi for 35 years.

Giovanni moved to the Gulf Coast two weeks before Hurricane Katrina in 2005.

Fontecchio spent his days ballroom dancing, visiting friends, and serving as the cultural advisor for the Gulf Coast Italian American Cultural Society. The society started in 1978 after a large earthquake struck Friuli, Italy, and the Italians along the Coast wanted to raise money to send back home to the motherland.

Giovanni was a member of Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church.

Giovanni was predeceased by his younger son, Jon-Paul of Hattiesburg.

He is survived by his son, Antonio Fontecchio of Hattiesburg; his stepson, David Ragdale of Carrolton, TX; his goddaughter, Gina Ventura of Biloxi; and his beloved Margaret Mallett and her daughter Lucy Sutherlin (John).

In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to Special Olympics Mississippi, Our Lady of Fatima St. Vincent de Paul or the St. Vincent de Paul Pharmacy.

Viewing and a final visitation will be held Saturday, March 21, 2026, at 10:00 AM followed by an 11:00 AM Mass at Our Lady of Fatima Catholic Church, Biloxi, MS. Entombment will be at a later date at the Greenfield Cemetery in Glen Allan, MS.

Bradford-O’Keefe Funeral Home is Honored to serve the family of Giovanni Fontecchio.