GROSSETO. The community of Braccagni mourns the passing of Fiorella Martini, 76 years old, a figure loved for her affability in both the world of commerce and sports, which she entered following her sons Massimiliano and Cristiano, who played baseball in their youth ( Fiorella had also been manager and sponsor of the company set up by Vladimiro Capecchi) and played football in Braccagni and Montepescali.
The name of Fiorella, sister of the current president of Braccagni, Lamberto Martini, widow of Mauro Chechi for a few years, is linked above all to the commercial activities that she directed, making herself loved for over forty years by generations of customers for her friendliness and professionalism.
Martini, together with her husband, who lent her a hand in the afternoon, initially managed the Minibar in via dei Garibaldini – where the Banca Tema branch is now located – then she became the soul, together with her children, of the Red Baron, on the Aurelia, the first bar to raise its shutters in the area, at half past four in the morning; but it is also a place where many Braccagnini start their day, have lunch or have an aperitif. And Fiorella, as long as her strength allowed her, didn’t spend a day without stopping by her children’s club.
The “Chechi bar” has crossed the village borders and, with its roots in the business started by Fiorella and Mauro and successfully carried forward, a few hundred meters further on, by their children.
Fiorella was a character, a woman with a youthful appearance who, passing by on foot or by bicycle, in the style of someone accustomed to being in the public eye, did not fail to say hello to anyone. Evidence of this are the many messages of condolence that have arrived in recent hours to his children and brother.
«I like to associate Fiorella with many of the figures from our childhood who are no longer with us – the journalist Carlo Vellutini recalls her – but who have characterized the memories of those of my age; like Lidia, true lady of the bakery, Beppe, animator of the Coop, Spartaco with his butcher’s shop, Emo who welcomed customers at the door of the old “Filadelfi” food bar, Albo and the historic Tavarnesi bar, Doctor Bianca from the Farmacia, Nilia and his ice creams, Rodolfo and, subsequently, Roberto Tonini and the family hardware store, Otilia with the newsstand next to the school, not to mention Ivano and Biri with their distributors. To these we can add the artisans Guerrino and Silvio “il Micio” among the barbers, Aladino Tavarnesi, Pietro Zanchi and Guido Baroni, among the mechanics, Urio and Febo, among the carpenters. A “pantheon” such as Fiorella also finds a place in the foreground. A strong hug to his sons Massimiliano and Cristiano, his grandchildren and his brother Lamberto.”
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