Dr. John W. Fountain's Obituary
John W. Fountain, DVM passed away unexpectedly on July 5, 2023, at his home in Iola, Wisconsin.
John was born on March 20, 1948, in Ann Arbor, Michigan to Robert and Donna Fountain. The family soon moved back to the Upper Peninsula of Michigan where John and his younger brother Dan were raised. John was a graduate of Ishpeming High School class of 1966.
He traveled to the Virgin Islands and lived in a tent, camping and enjoying the ocean view. As he stood on a beachside pier, he heard a cry for help and jumped in the water despite having a plaster cast on his left arm. He helped the kid out of the water, who was ok, however the cast didn’t smell too good after that. He said it sure did itch though.
When Uncle Sam called, John reluctantly signed up for the Army and was sent to Germany. He had quite an adventure when he went to North Africa on leave to visit the bazaars in Morocco. He found he was in trouble with the law, as he had no passport! A quick visit to the US Embassy kept him out of jail! His prize souvenir was a heavy woolen djellaba, which prevented sunburn during the day and kept one warm in the cold desert nights.
Upon his return home, he worked underground for a year at the Mather B mine. He bought the biggest lunch pail he could find and loaded it with numerous sandwiches every day as well as a big thermos with milk and ice cream.
Attending Michigan State University, he earned a Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree in 1980. His interest in bovine medicine led him to Wisconsin where he passed yet another board exam. He practiced large & small animals in central Wisconsin for 34 years, and some wildlife medicine as well. John was well liked and respected by his veterinary clients and trusted by his animal patients of all sizes and species.
He met Janet Avis Hewitt in 1981 at a neighbor’s calving and took her to the UP to the beach at Teal Lake. They were able to swim quietly to within three to five feet of a common loon at eye level. Janet was sold on the UP after that fantastic encounter. They were married in 1985 on their farmhouse lawn in Iola.
Each year Keweenaw Week was a must! It was crammed full of lectures, displays and multiple field trips. One of John’s biggest thrills was finding a large copper crystal group– we called it a “tree”, at the top left of the Painesdale mine pile. John Perona, trip leader, was very excited and immediately offered John $1,000 for this specimen - “NO Questions Asked”. It prompted Ken Flood, also a trip leader, to race up and down the same pile repeatedly looking for a twin. George Robinson, director of the Seaman Mineral Museum, asked John if he could display the specimen at the museum which was quite an honor.
John was an avid rockhound, deer hunter, trout fisherman, numismatist, photographer, gardener, and bird watcher. He also made a killer habanero sauce from his home-grown peppers.
John is survived by his wife, Jan, and a brother and sister-in-law, Dan and Judy Fountain of Negaunee, Michigan, two brothers-in-law, David A. Hewitt (Sharon), Madison and John J. Hewitt (Brenda) of Waupaca. A gathering will be held at a later date.
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