Bertha V. Fontaine

Bertha Mae Van Landingham Fontaine (September 3, 1929 – November 2, 1986) was an American home economist with the National Marine Fisheries Service. She was tasked with promoting the home use of seafood, through demonstrations, recipes, and media appearances, to support the fishing and canning industries in the Gulf Coast.

Bertha V. Fontaine
A smiling fair-skinned woman with dark hair in a bouffant style
Bertha V. Fontaine, from a 1972 publication of the US Department of Commerce
Born
Bertha Mae Van Landingham

(1929-09-03)3 September 1929
Died2 November 1986(1986-11-02) (aged 57)
Pascagoula, Mississippi, U.S.
OccupationHome economist

Early life

Bertha Mae Van Landingham was born in Mississippi or Memphis, Tennessee (sources vary on the location), and raised in Mississippi, the daughter of Leander Shelton Van Landingham, and Bertha Shumaker Van Landingham.[1] She graduated from Mississippi University for Women, with further studies at the University of Alabama.[2]

Career

Fontaine taught high school home economics in Pascagoula. She joined the National Marine Fisheries Service as a home economist. She worked in the service's test kitchen in Pascagoula, developing recipes[3] to promote the home use of Gulf-caught fish and seafood, including canned products.[4] She also traveled to give demonstrations,[5][6] trained home economists, organized contests,[7] and appeared on television programs talking about seafood. She was a consultant to Alcorn A&M University.[2]

Fontaine received the national NOAA Award for Public Service in 1971.[8][9] Her contributions were also recognized by the governor of Florida and by the Southeastern Fisheries Association and the Alabama Fisheries Association.[2]

Fontaine co-edited and contributed shrimp recipes to a cookbook, Seafood Adventures from the Gulf and South Atlantic (1980).[10][11]

Personal life

Vanlandingham married businessman Douglass Latimer Fontaine in 1960.[1] They had three children.[2] She died in Pascagoula in 1986, aged 57 years.[12]

References
  1. "Miss Van Landingham to be Bride of Douglas Fontaine". Clarion-Ledger. April 10, 1960. p. 35. Retrieved July 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  2. Ryder, Mary (July 1972). "Bertha Fontaine's Finishing School". NOAA. 2 (2): 29–31.
  3. "Review of Aquaculture Highlight of Fish Expo". Clarion-Ledger. April 25, 1974. p. 39. Retrieved July 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. "In Honor of Bertha V. Fontaine: American Seafood Advocate" American Shrimp Processors Association (April 8, 2021).
  5. "Fish Cooking Demonstration Slated at Southern". Hattiesburg American. August 1, 1973. p. 10. Retrieved July 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. "Preparing Fish for Lunches to be Shown Here". The Gaffney Ledger. November 9, 1961. p. 1. Retrieved July 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. Harrist, Ron (January 15, 1986). "Catfish is making a bit splash outside the South". Daily World. p. 10. Retrieved July 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. "NOAA Honors Individuals and Units at November Awards Night Program" NOAA 2(1)(January 1972): 57.
  9. "Nine Employees, 33 Units, Will be Honored December 3" NOAA Week 2(47)(December 26, 1971): 1.
  10. Seafood adventures : from the Gulf and South Atlantic. Gulf and South Atlantic Fisheries Development Foundation. Tampa, Fla.: Gulf and South Atlantic Fisheries Development Foundation. 1987. ISBN 0-942084-50-0. OCLC 17842010.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  11. "'Adventures' gets creative with seafood". Sun Herald. January 11, 1980. p. 14. Retrieved July 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
  12. "Obituary for Bertha Fontaine (Aged 57)". Sun Herald. November 4, 1986. p. 4. Retrieved July 18, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
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