Eugene (Gino) Arthur Fontaine

HAVERHILL - Eugene “Gino” Arthur Fontaine, 70, of Haverhill, died on Saturday, November 14, 2020 at Mass General Hospital after a brief but valiant battle with cancer.  

He was born in Haverhill, MA on July 14, 1950, to the late Eugene A. Fontaine, Jr., and Dorothy Fontaine Comeau. Raised in Haverhill, he attended St. Joseph’s School, Haverhill High School and Northern Essex. He worked his entire career at Vernon Plastics in Ward Hill where he was a color matcher/lab technician. After retirement he worked at both Home Depot and Macy’s. 

Gino loved music and was an avid reader. He loved Stephen King and The Beatles, for whom he and his son shared an equal adoration. Many friends will remember him as the charismatic front man for The Mystics Five who were a well-known band in New England in the 1960’s and played many dances at  St. Joe’s and HHS. He rekindled his music career in the ‘90’s and was a member of the Washington Street Connection.  He was a devoted member and officer of the Sons of Italy of Haverhill and played bugle in the Sons of Italy Drum and Bugle Corps, with his son, who played snare.

Gino is survived by his son, Gene Fontaine, his wife Kate (Kneeland) of Haverhill, MA and his grandchildren, Ella, Ruby, Lucy, and Stanley, all of whom he loved so much. He leaves his five siblings, Michael, Dennis (Elizabeth), Kathleen (John Harasek), Jay Comeau, Lisa (Paul Smith), and several nieces and nephews on both the Fontaine and Sciuto sides of the family as well as his Uncle and Aunt, Dr. Richard and Dolores Greene. He also leaves his dearest lifelong friend, Richard Torossian who was always there for him, especially during his recent illness. He was married to Maria Sciuto Fontaine; they remained friends and family for over 53 years. 

Due to Covid, services will be private. A Celebration of Life will be planned for next year. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Eugene A. Fontaine III and William C. Deramo, Jr. Music Scholarship c/o HTM Credit Union, 4 Summer Street Haverhill, MA 01830; to benefit Haverhill High School students who are pursuing a career in Music. 

“Go then, there are other worlds than these.” - Stephen King, The Gunslinger

Arrangements by Driscoll Funeral Home, Haverhill. For guestbook, visit www.driscollcares.com

To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Eugene (Gino) Arthur Fontaine, please visit our floral store.