ST. LOUIS—A ‘Celebration of Life’ event intended to honor the contributions, influence and memory of friends and colleagues of Frank Fontana, OD, FAAO, has been postponed to early 2019, said friends and family of the late optometrist. Originally, such a celebration was announced for Oct. 27 in the St. Louis area, but funeral services for “Uncle Frank,” as he was known by so many vision care professionals and industry colleagues, are still being held this weekend on Sat., Oct. 13 at the Schrader Funeral Home in Ballwin, Mo.

Fontana, 96, passed away on Oct. 3 , as VMAIL previously reported. Fontana earned his nickname by serving as a mentor and advocate for countless optometric educators and future leaders of the profession. He was an internationally recognized speaker and a true pioneer during the early years of contact lenses, helping train many of his colleagues throughout the U.S. in this then new technology.

He held leadership positions in many groups, including the Missouri Optometric Association and the American Optometric Association (AOA). He founded the Contact Lens & Cornea Section of the AOA and co-founded the Heart of America Contact Lens Society. In a long and distinguished career, he worked alongside optometric publications, manufacturers and educators, and received countless honors.

In lieu of flowers, the family suggests that contributions may be made to the Dylan Fontana college fund or Lighthouse for the Blind St. Louis.