Social media users have expressed their sorrow in recent hours over the passing of Reyna Lobaina Rodríguez, one of the most emblematic figures of gastronomy in Santiago de Cuba, known to all as the "elder lady of La Fontana."
An old image published in the Facebook group "Old Photos, Province, Santiago de Cuba" prompted several users to comment that the lady passed away some time ago in the city and recalled that she was an example of dedication to work.
Mirtha Flanders said: “Legendary, active, respectful, selfless, skilled in her performance of the irretrievable Fontana di Trevi.”
"Fond memories of Reyna, I used to go to La Fontana with my parents since I was little and she was an exemplary employee, very quick and with a great character, may the eternal light shine upon her, rest in peace," noted Isabel Maurelo.
For his part, Jordy Lefebre said: "He died about 3 months ago."
For many, Reyna was the most famous chef in Santiago de Cuba, and for almost 60 years she dedicated herself to that activity in a city that is, precisely, famous in recent times for the poor service in both state and private establishments.
She worked, since its inauguration on July 26, 1964, at the iconic pizzeria La Fontana Di Trevi, in the Heritage Corridor Las Enramadas, as a sales assistant in a place that was renowned for being an excellent dining spot decades ago, and today is one of those buildings that everyone looks at fondly.
However, over the years, saying "La Fontana" and "Reyna" was the same in the imagination of several generations of people from Santiago.
Despite her extreme thinness, it was always incredible to see her carry the heavy trays filled with pizzas, pastas, and even 30 beers placed on them. This was one of the trademarks that made her famous, in addition to her good demeanor, which many claim never changed even when she was suffering from illnesses or facing personal problems.
The incredible thing for many was that Reyna, at over 80 years of age, continued working at the place she opened and with the same agility that made her famous, she carried heavy trays full of dishes and bottles.
In 2019, he gave an interview to CiberCuba in which he regretted that, with more than eight decades of life and more than 55 years dedicated to working for the Cuban regime, the latter never fulfilled his dream: to have his own home.
At home, Reyna kept all the journalistic pieces in which she had appeared, including those made by the local television.
However, she admitted that, along with the more than 10 family members with whom she shared the house, she regretted the loss of the old photos that showed her working in the micro-brigade, hard hours spent to have her home.
“At 82 years of life, I continue working because I want to have my house, and the whole world knows that,” he stated categorically and without hesitation in the interview granted in 2019.
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