Ronald Matthew Fournier

Ronald Matthew Fournier, devoted husband, father and grandfather, passed from this life on December 3, 2018, in private nursing care in Ocean Springs, MS. He was 90 years old. Ron and his beloved wife, Barbara Gutierrez Fournier, lived in Ocean Springs for 14 years. Born in Biloxi, MS on July 13, 1928, Ronald grew up in D’Iberville. He attended the University of Southern Mississippi, studying accounting and business administration, and was a member of Delta Sigma Pi. After graduation in 1955, he entered the United States Navy and was deployed to the Mediterranean Sea aboard the USS Newport News in the Supply Corps. Following his active duty, Ron continued to serve his country in the U.S. Navy Reserve until 1988, achieving the rank of Lieutenant Commander. Ron moved to New Orleans and was employed by Humble Oil (later ESSO) as an auditor for the U.S. southeastern region. In the spring 1962, he met Barbara Gutierrez of New Orleans at a dance in Biloxi; they were married later that year and resided in New Orleans. In 1965, Ron became one of the first employees of Louisiana State University in New Orleans (later UNO), joining the Office of Administration’s accounting department. He was Director of Accounting Services when he retired in 1988. The Fourniers lived in New Orleans and Metairie, LA for 48 years where they raised four children. After retirement, they moved to Mandeville briefly before returning to Ron’s home state Mississippi in 2004. Ron and Barbara celebrated their 56th wedding anniversary on November 25. Ron was an avid gardener, raising orchids and roses, and maintaining a large vegetable garden. He loved travel, enjoyed fishing during many trips to his boyhood home in D'Iberville, and was continually engaged in home construction projects over the years. His life’s devotion, however, was to his family. He is survived by his beloved wife Barbara and his four children, Roxanne Fournier Stone (Roger B. Stone), Dianne Fournier Kokotoff (David M. Kokotoff), Elizabeth (“Betsy”) Fournier Ford (Charles D. Ford), and David Matthew Fournier (Emily Haycock Fournier). He was Pop-Pop to eight grandchildren, Sarah, Caitlin, Noah, Christian, Ethan, Meghan, Luke, and Evan. He was brother to Gerald Fournier, Marlyn Fournier Reaux, and Benjamin George (“B.G.”) Fournier Jr. He was preceded in death by his parents, Benjamin George Fournier and Velma Moran Fournier. Family and friends will be received Saturday, December 15, 2018, from 11 a.m. until the time of the Catholic funeral Mass at noon at St. Alphonsus Catholic Church, where Ron was a parishioner, 502 Jackson Avenue, Ocean Springs, MS 39564. Interment will be held at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the St. Vincent DePaul Community Pharmacy, PO Box 1228, Biloxi, MS 39533, or to the Alzheimer’s Association at www.alz.org. The Ocean Springs Chapel of Bradford O'Keefe Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.