Serge Fontaine

Serge Fontaine of Swan Lake, NY, a longtime area resident, died Thursday, June 27, 2024, in his home. The son of the late Amilcar Fontaine and Luce Augustin, he was born on March 9, 1935, in the Republic of Haiti. He was 89.

In his youth, Serge enjoyed playing soccer, collecting stamps and coins, and riding bikes. After leaving the Republic of Haiti, Serge's intellectual journey took him to various corners of the world. He studied and worked in places like France, Poland, Ecuador, Panama, and West Africa. His academic pursuits led him to engineering studies in Lodz, Poland, and at Columbia University in New York City. A lifelong advocate of education, he was fluent in Creole, French, Polish, English, and Spanish. His linguistic skills were a testament to his intellectual curiosity and global experiences. He was a civil engineer and one of the former partners of Ewell W. Finley Engineering in New York City. 

He was a prolific reader of all genres, including poetry. He played the piano and enjoyed listening to a variety of music, including classical, opera, and country. He took pleasure in defeating competitors in chess and dominoes. He was an amateur horticulturist and had a great love for the natural world (except for beavers when they cut down his trees).

He is survived by his wife Helena, to whom he was a dedicated husband since March 21, 1965. Also surviving are his children, Amilcar, Marie, Irma, and Natasza; his grandchildren, Nichole, Enya, Amilia, and Henryk; and his great-grandchildren, Jonathan, Alyvia, and Everly.

Visitation will be Wednesday, July 10, 2024, from 11AM-1PM in the Harris Funeral Home West Street at Buckley, Liberty, NY.

Funeral services will be Wednesday, July 10, 2024 at 1 PM in the funeral home. Father Edward Bader will officiate. The funeral services will be livestreamed on the Harris Funeral Home Facebook Page.

Burial will be in the Liberty Cemetery Cold Spring Road, Liberty, NY.

Memorial contributions in Serge's name may be made to St. Jude Children's Hospital, 501 St. Jude Place, Memphis, TN 38105 or Alzheimer's Assoc. Mid-Hudson Chapter 2 Jefferson Plaza, Suite 103, Poughkeepsie, NY 12601-4027.

Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to the Harris Funeral Home West St. at Buckley, Liberty, NY. 845-292-0001 or 845-439-5200 or www.Harris-FH.com