When you ask his friends what they remember about senior Julian “J.T.” Fontelera, they talk about his guitar playing, his convincing accents, and his bacon cupcakes and fried Oreos. Fontelera was known for being a multi-talented man who was involved in many extracurricular activities at Niles West.
Fontelera, who died Monday, Sept. 30, will be remembered for his involvement in Gay Straight Alliance, Chess team, Korean club, Asian Pop Culture club, Dr. Who club, Filipino club, Chinese club, Gardening club, French, Gamespot, Comic and Cartoon club, and, most of all, the Thespian society.
Most recently, Fontelera was part of the production crew for Dream of the Burning Boy. Most notably, he played the Sheriff in the Laramie Project and a cat in Freddie the Frog.
A funeral service is scheduled for Monday, Oct. 7, at 10:15 a.m. at Haben Funeral Home followed by a mass at St. Peter Church in Skokie. He will be buried in Rosehill Cemetery of Chicago. A wake and a visitation day will also be held on Saturday, Oct. 5 and Sunday, Oct. 6, from 3-8 p.m..
Fontelera’s fellow thespians said they will miss Fontelera and the work that he has done for the theater program.
“J.T. was one of the most creative and interesting guys I knew, with a passion for the arts, he lived to make others happy, and his life will never be forgotten,” said senior Surdeep Chauhan, who played the lead character in “The Dream of the Burning Boy.”
“My favorite thing about him was the huge variety of music he listened to,” said junior Sherlina Chauhan, who also worked with Fontelera during “Burning Boy.” “This probably doesn’t seem that big to most people, but that was the basis or our friendship and pretty much what our interactions revolved around. He made me this personalized mixture at the theatre holiday party last year, like he did for a bunch of people. It was all music he had a feeling I would enjoy, and he folded this paper origami white flower with it and it was really nice and it caught me by surprise.”
For more information on memorial services for Fontelera visit Haben Funeral Home’s website.
Niko P. • Oct 16, 2013 at 8:49 PM
I don’t go to West, but I know people there. JT was one of them. He will be missed and mourned for.
Minnie • Oct 3, 2013 at 3:37 PM
JT, I remember we were writing compliments for our classmates to reflect on back in Ms. Stucker’s class. You wrote that I was the coolest person you had ever met! I remember being SO happy after reading that and I’m pretty sure I still have it. You and I have had some really good times. I will be thinking of you all year, after I graduate and go to college, and beyond. I’m so disappointed that you could not do the same, just as how we graduated from Fairview together. But we will always be close friends. Thanks for everything, JT.
Connie Lay-Ngo • Oct 3, 2013 at 1:34 PM
JT was the kind of person who didn’t have to know who you were to greet and approach you. I didn’t know him too well, but I knew him enough to say that he was someone with a kind heart who genuinely wanted to get to know you better or hear how you were doing. Rest in peace, JT.
Ms. Gross • Oct 3, 2013 at 9:34 AM
Thank you for this article, Gabby. JT was a wonderfully unique young man, and this is a loss for the whole community.
Rachael Kossy • Oct 2, 2013 at 8:22 PM
I remember JT always saying hi to me in the halls. I was always surprised he knew my name because we were in different grades and didn’t hang out together, but the fact that he took the time always made me smile. Last year I really talked to him for the first time in an interview for a journalism article. He just made me laugh so hard in his responses, it was great. When I heard about his passing I was shocked. RIP. I won’t forget you, JT.
Sunny Naqvi • Oct 2, 2013 at 4:05 PM
Rest in paradise J.T </3 miss you
Morgan Gstalter • Oct 2, 2013 at 1:47 PM
JT was the person who always said “hi” to you in passing. Those sunny, genuinely outgoing people are rare in today’s society and it breaks my heart.
Thank you, JT for always saying “Good Morning, Morgan” in a British accent, in the halls of Fairview and in the halls of Niles West. Rest in peace.
Freshie • Oct 2, 2013 at 10:19 AM
J.T was a beloved friend and will be missed dearly. Hi legacy will live on and he will always be in our hearts forever