Arnold Joseph "A.J." Fountain

Arnold Joseph “A.J.” Fountain, Sr., 88, of Biloxi, MS, loving husband and father of five children, passed away Wednesday, February 5, 2020 in Ocean Springs. A.J. was born in Biloxi, MS and was a lifelong resident of the Gulf Coast. He was a pioneer in the Biloxi, St. Martin, and D’Iberville communities. He was a master of his crafts: a fisherman/oysterman, home builder, boat builder, and property developer. He was owner of the waste management business, Fountain Enterprises, which serviced Keesler Air Force Base, Gulfport Seabee Base, Biloxi VA, Gulfport VA, Gulfport Air National Guard, Ingalls Shipbuilding, DuPont, and the seafood factories along the Mississippi Gulf Coast. He served as a paratrooper in the United States Army. You may have not known him, but he either knew you, your parents, grandparents, or your family. He was a great provider that took care of his family and loved them dearly. He loved to work, play cards, bowl, golf, watch football games, loved the Saints and LSU, and watching his favorite T.V. show, Walker, Texas Ranger. He brought life and love into our community, will never be forgotten, and will live in our hearts forever. He was preceded in death by his mother, Iona Fountain; his wife, Emma Faye Fountain; his brothers, Harold Diddlemeyer, Elgin Diddlemeyer, Daniel Fountain; and great-grandson, Miles Epperly. A.J.’s survivors include his sisters: Winona Knott and Virgilee Pisarich; his brother, Lawrence Diddlemeyer; his daughters, Deborah Fountain and Sherry Epperly; his sons, Joey (Connie) Fountain, Jr., Mark (Loree) Fountain and Greg Fountain; his grandchildren, Scott Rushing, Jr., Travis (Brooke) Epperly, Jeff (Kristen) Epperly, Joie Fountain, Brandon (Crystal) Fountain, Mark Seymour, Kyle Fountain, Shane Fountain, Greg Fountain Jr., Kristen Fountain; great grandchildren, Dylan Rushing, Siera Rushing, Reese Epperly, Phoebe Epperly, Jackson Moore, Ava Epperly, Ivy Epperly, Eve Epperly, Kaileigh Noakley, Aiden Kelly, Rayleigh Fountain, Manuel Seymour, Brie Seymour, Khloe Fountain, Milah Fountain, Kayden Fountain, Emma Fountain, Ezra Fountain, Kelsey Beck; and his great-great-grandchildren, Greyson Borries and Kaysie Borries. Visitation will be Wednesday, Feb. 12 from 10:30am to 11:00am for family, 11:00am to 1:00pm for friends and services at 1:00pm Chapel Service all at the Ocean Springs Chapel of Bradford O'Keefe Funeral Home. Interment will follow at Fountain Cemetery.