Ann Marie (Fontano) Rideout

Newton - Ann Marie (Fontano) Rideout, died Sunday, December 1, 2024 in Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston after a long struggle with breast cancer. She was 59.

Ann Marie was born on August 29,1965 in Newton a daughter of Grazia (Baccari) Fontano and the late Richard Fontano. Raised in Newton she was a graduate of Newton North High School with the class of 1983. She then attended University of Massachusetts – Amherst before transferring to Saint Elizabeth’s Hospital School of Nursing where she earned her degree. 

Ann Marie married Stephen J. Rideout in an ecumenical service at The United Parish in Auburndale on October 9, 1993 and remained a lifelong Newton resident. 

Ann Marie easily mastered the role of nurse and later as mother. Her nursing career began at Brigham and Women’s Hospital as a nurse on an oncology floor and later in operating rooms performing thoracic surgery as well as orthopedics surgery. She later worked as an operating room nurse at Newton-Wellesley Hospital with a focus on orthopedic surgery. Nurses, like Ann Marie, were one of the few blessings of being ill or hospitalized. 

After a long battle with breast cancer Ann Marie died in the hospital in which she worked, Brigham and Women’s on Sunday, December 1, 2024. The care extended to Ann Marie during her treatments and stays at Dana Farber and The Brigham throughout the years, but most especially these last few weeks, by her colleagues in medicine, in particular her nurses will forever be remembered by the family. 

She loved being mother to her sons, Michael and Jonathan and relished in watching them grow into young men as well as being Stephen’s best friend and wife. They all shared the house with her three cherished dogs, Stella, Peter and Bo. 

Relaxation and countless memories were created on Cape Cod at their home in Eastham where she loved to host family and friends throughout the summer, and she loved spending time at Nauset Light Beach. 

Ann Marie also loved traveling to San Donato Val di Comino, Italy, to visit family and the many friends she made there during August vacations. 

In addition to her husband of 31 years, Stephen, she leaves her sons, Michael S. and Jonathan J. Rideout, all of Newton; her mother, Grazia Fontano (late Richard) of Newton; her brother, Stephen G. Fontano (Lindsay) of Watertown; also survived by nieces, nephews, aunts, uncles, cousins and dear friends. 

Family and friends will honor and remember Ann Marie's life by gathering for an Evening Wake in The Joyce Funeral Home, 245 Main Street (Rte. 20), Waltham on Friday, December 6th from 4 to 7 p.m. Her funeral Mass will be celebrated in Our Lady Help of Christians Church, 573 Washington Street, Newton at 10:30 a.m. Please go directly to church. Burial will follow in Newton Cemetery, Newton. 

Expressions of sympathy may be made to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215 or https://www.dana-farber.org/