Mario J. Fontana

Mario J. Fontana of DeKalb, Illinois passed away peacefully on February 14, 2023, at the age of 75.

Mario was born on October 27,1947 in Colle di Compito, Italy, to Nello and Rosa Fontana. He came to the United States with his parents and three siblings in 1954, moving to Chicago's south side.

He was a proud graduate of St. Ignatius College Prep in 1966, before becoming one of the first graduates of the University of Illinois at Chicago Circle in 1970, where he earned his BS in Mechanical Engineering.

Mario began working for Commonwealth Edison in 1971, serving in various management positions that eventually brought him and his family to DeKalb. He retired from ComEd in December of 2002.

He married his college sweetheart, Nina Stefani, on May 8, 1971. They had three children and lived in homes in Chicago, Schaumburg, and Bartlett before moving to DeKalb in 1988.

Believing in the importance of family above all else, Mario was a devoted son, a loyal brother, a dedicated husband, a caring father, a fun-loving uncle, and an adoring grandfather.

He was a lifelong Chicago sports fan, remaining stubbornly loyal to the Bears, Bulls, and White Sox. He was an avid golfer and loved nothing more than a nice cigar while out on the course - and a liberal allotment of mulligans.

He credited his parents with teaching him his strong work ethic. He strove always to be the first one into the office each morning, to give back to his community, and to bring humor and positivity into every situation in life.

Mario is survived by his wife of 51 years, Nina Fontana of DeKalb; his daughter Jenni (Jonathan Martin) Fontana of Los Angeles; his sons T. J. (Amy) of DeKalb and Steve (Kristin) of Batavia; grandchildren T. J., Will, Isabella, and Lorenzo Fontana; siblings Josette Pieroni and Renzo (Franca) Fontana; in-laws Marcella Fontana and John (Susan) Stefani; and several nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his parents Nello and Rosa; his brother Michael; and in-laws John and Ann Stefani and Jackie Stefani.

Visitation services will be held at Finch Funeral Home in DeKalb on Sunday, February 19th from 4-7pm. The funeral mass will take place at Christ the Teacher Parish in DeKalb on Monday, February 20th at 9:30am.

Donations in Mario's memory may be made to the Rotary Club of Sycamore, Illinois, or the American Stroke Foundation.

His family would like to thank the staff of Arden Courts of Geneva for their care over the past three-plus years.

Cremation arrangements were entrusted to Finch Funeral Home 310 Oak St. DeKalb, IL, 60115 (815) 758-3841.