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Giant in Atlanta restaurant scene, dies at 78 Antonio Fundora remembered for his love of family, patrons By SYDNEY DANGREMOND sydney@appenmedia.com FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — About a month before he passed away of a heart attack, Antonio Fundora pulled his wife Maria aside for a private conversation. “He said to me, ‘Mara … I’m so sorry,’” Maria said. “Mara” is what he always called her. “I punched him in the shoulder, and I said, ‘What are you talking about?’ and he said, ‘I’m sorry that I’m going to be leaving you so soon. That I’m not going to be with you. I’m so sorry that I won’t be with you into old age. But I just want you to know that I will love you until my last dying breath. And you’ll have the kids, the kids will get you through this when I’m gone.’” The conversation, Maria said, was out of the blue. They had no idea that just a few weeks later, Maria would be leaning on her kids for support and Antonio would be gone. “I don’t know if he knew, if he had not been feeling well,” Maria said. “But it was like he was preparing me for what could happen.” Since his death on Oct. 22, Maria has been trying to stay positive, taking each moment as it comes. Antonio was 78 years old, a giant in the Atlanta food scene, feeding patrons since opening his first restaurant, Alfredo’s, on Cheshire Bridge Road in 1974. Originally from Havana, Cuba, Fundora immigrated to the United States in 1962, becoming a citizen 14 years later. In the interim, he worked long hours, saving up enough money to bring 56 family members from Cuba to the U.S. in a
County faces another bid for annexation By PATRICK FOX pat@appenmedia.com
MARIA FUNDORA/PROVIDED
Antonio and Maria Fundora were married for 34 years, spending every day together from the first day they met. “He was my soulmate,” Maria said. seven-year period. Before landing in Atlanta in 1967, Fundora spent time in New York City and West Palm Beach, Florida, gaining experience in the hospitality business. He worked his way up from dishwasher to chef, before setting out on his own and opening Alfredo’s. Motivated by the success of his first venture in the restaurant business, Fundora opened Avanti’s four years later in 1978, then Antonio’s Bakery in 1980 and Tony’s Casa Napoli in 1982. In 1987, Antonio was set up with Maria on a blind date, and the rest is history. Two and a half months later, they
were married, and a partnership was forged. “From the moment that we met, we saw each other every day until he passed away,” Maria said. “He was my soulmate.” Maria, who had also immigrated from Cuba with her family, said their shared culture and heritage helped them to “click” so quickly. At the time, Maria was not in the restaurant business, but she knew it well. Her father was a restauranteur in Chicago when she was growing up, and
See FUNDORA, Page 6
FORSYTH COUNTY, Ga. — Forsyth County may find itself at odds again with the City of Cumming over the latest in a series of annexation requests. This time, the applicant is Horizon Christian Academy seeking to have its 34-acre campus on Sawnee Drive incorporated into the city. The applicant anticipates no change from the property’s current use, and the county anticipates no impact to its infrastructure. Because the annexation appears to have little effect on the current density and infrastructure, the county may have few options to fight the annexation. Even so, county commissioners are not happy about it. County Commission Chairwoman Cindy Jones Mills said she’s not worried about the school annexation, but she is fearful of the domino effect it may have on neighboring properties. “It could be coming across the road,” Mills said. Right now, the county receives
See ANNEXATION, Page 4