Primo Tucci: last of the true gentlemen

SooToday.com has received the following note from Angela Clair Roberts of Merano, Italy, regarding her memories of Sault Ste. Marie's Primo Tucci.

Tucci, who died on Sunday and whose funeral mass will be at 1 p.m. today at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church, was a pillar of the West End and proprietor of Primo's Shoe Shine (Primo's Valet Service) on Queen Street East. ************************* Dear Editor:

I am writing this having just read your obituary for Primo Tucci Esq. who I am proud to have known well over the years.

Primo was truly one of the last remaining gentlemen around.

A quiet, private, wise, self-educated, well-read and well-informed man of unbelievalbe patience, gentleness and understanding, he was a great conversationalist and could entertain you on practically any subject.

He had a great sense of humour and of the ridiculous and certainly enjoyed a good laugh.

He was proud of his parents' Italian background and liked to know the latest from the old country, news which I was happy to tell him as he ferried me around from one member of the Tucci family to another or from one friend to the next whenever I came to visit the Soo.

He loved all sorts of music, as I myself do, and, being very interested to history and geography, read up about places I have visited, often asking me questions afterwards which I found hard to answer..

As an only child myself, I have always marvelled at how close the various generations of the extended Tucci, Tadashore and Donofrio family members are and am grateful to them all for making me, an Anglo-Italian "outsider," feel so welcome.

It's impossible not to love them all and they are as important as me own family.

They are always ready to help and never expect thanks and are a great compliment to their parents, Pierina and Guiseppe.

I would not usually write in this way but am doing so now as a way of showing my resepct for Primo and for all his family.

They know that my thoughts are with them at this sad time, especially as I am physically such a long distance away.

The Soo has lost a truly lovely man.

- Angela Clair Roberts - Merano

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