Michele Rita Fontenot, 74, of Orange, Texas, passed away on December 10, 2017, in Beaumont, Texas.

Funeral services will be at 10 a.m., Wednesday, December 13, 2017, at St. Henry Catholic Church in Bridge City. Officiating will be Father Steve Leger. Burial will follow at Hillcrest Memorial Gardens in Orange.

Visitation will be from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., Tuesday, December 12, 2017 with a Rosary at 6 p.m. at Claybar Funeral Home in Bridge City.

Born in Newark, New Jersey, on November 13, 1943, she was the daughter of Michael Sussko and Rita Milbut Sussko. Michele worked as a secretary at Western Electric and as a cafeteria manager for 29 years at Bridge City Independent School District. She was a crossing guard in Berkley Heights and a member of St. Henry’s Catholic Church since 1978. Michele was a champion gumbo cook and loved gardening, cooking, fishing and crabbing. She will be dearly missed by all who came to know and love her.

She was preceded in death by her father, Michael Sussko; and parents-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. V.J. Fontenot.

She is survived by her loving husband of 53 years, Noson E. Fontenot, Sr.; mother, Rita Sussko of Toms River, New Jersey; sons, Noson E. Fontenot II and wife Terrie Fontenot of Lake Jackson, and Trent Fontenot and wife Darlene Fontenot of Groves; daughters, Katherine Forse and husband John T. Forse of Silsbee, Kelly Bright and husband Brian Bright of Orange, and Donna Fontenot and significant other Gary Whatley of Groves; grandchildren, Taylor Bright, Kaitlyn Bright, Andrew Fontenot, Peter Fontenot, Jessica Marrs, and Hannah Fontenot; great-grandchildren, Gavin Boden, Rylee Ray, and Lakelynne Marrs; and sister Sandra Detwiler of Caledonia, Michigan.

Serving as pallbearers will be Noson E. Fontenot II., Trent M. Fontenot, Brian Bright, John T. Forse, Jerry Goins, and Gene Bourgeois.