Vincent Termini Sr., the second-generation owner of Termini Brothers Bakery, has died at 86.
Termini's family shared the news in a social media post Sunday evening. No cause of death was given. His family praised him as a man who took great pride in the success of the South Philly bakery, known for its cannolis and Italian confections.
"Funny, compassionate, and endlessly generous — Vincent Sr. was a man whose warmth filled every room he entered," the Termini family wrote. "His quiet acts of kindness touched more lives than he ever realized, and his selflessness was simply who he was, never something he needed to announce."
One of Termini's favorite parts of the business was greeting shoppers at the door of the flagship shop at 1523 S. Eighth St. on Christmas Eve, the post said. The family invited customers to share their memories of Termini.
"He was a man of great respect, deep humility, and even deeper heart — the kind of person whose laughter, generosity, and quiet strength will be remembered always," the family wrote. "The Termini family will continue to honor his memory by preserving the values that he held most dear."
Termini Brothers was founded in 1921 by Giuseppe and Gaetano Termini, a pair of brothers and Sicilian immigrants. Vincent Sr. was born in 1938, the son of Giuseppe and Mariangela Termini. He became a full-time baker for the store in the 1960s, working under his father, before taking over in 1976.
He led the store through a number of expansions, including opening locations in Reading Terminal Market and on Oregon Avenue, and adding in a walk-in refrigerator and purchasing a box delivery truck in the early 1980s. Termini Brother's has been run run by his sons, Vincent Jr. and Joe, since Termini stepped down a few years ago.