The Eastwick Press Newspaper

Eastern Rensselaer County's Community Newspaper

Francis A. Martini

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Stephentown – Francis A. Martini, 76, of Wilderness Way, Stephentown, NY, died on Monday, January 2, 2012, at St. Peter’s Hospital in Albany, NY. Born in Pittsfield, MA, on September 10, 1935, he was the son of the late Anthony and Rose Stracuzzi Martini. A 1953 graduate of Pittsfield High School where he excelled in football and baseball, Fran had been a resident of Stephentown for the past twenty years after living in New Lebanon for eleven years.
Mr. Martini enlisted in the United States Army in September of 1956 as a paratrooper in the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg. Upon his honorable discharge, he attended barbering school and worked with his father and uncle in Dom’s Wendell Barbershop in Pittsfield for six years. He then worked for the Massachusetts Turnpike Authority as a machine operator and laborer retiring in 1990. Fran was a member of the National Thoroughbred Racing Association having held a trainer’s license at Finger Lakes, Belmont and Saratoga. He loved animals of all sorts; watching the bear in his backyard, feeding squirrels, raising pit bulls. He dearly loved his late cat Sugar and his late dogs Ebony and Emma. He enjoyed playing cards with family and friends, cooking and watching both the History and Military channels. His true love was his children and grandchildren. He was a friend to many. He will be missed dearly by all.
Survivors include his children Anthony and wife Elizabeth Martini of Brighton, MI, LeeAnn Martini of Magnolia, DE, and Jason Martini of Pittsfield, his grandchildren, Luke Martini of Pittsfield and Kathleen, Annamarie and Joseph A. Martini all of Brighton, MI, and many cousins, extended family members and close friends. He is pre-deceased by a sister, Venera Rose Weary.
A Memorial Service is on Thursday, January 5, at 7 pm in the Hall & Higgins Funeral Home, 457 NY 43, Stephentown, with Rev. John Close officiating. Relatives and friends are invited for visitation on Thursday from 5 pm until the start of the service.
For those wishing to remember Fran in a special way, his family requests memorial contributions be made to www.specialolympics.org or www.outofthepits.org or www.mohawkhumanesociety.org.