In Memory of Antonio Bienes Martín, Antonio “Pepita”

Unblemished example of an honest and loyal person, Antonio Bienes Martín, Antonio “Pepita” – as his mother was called – has been one of the best people we have known in our lives. His fertile memory dignifies the vital sense of the human condition in its most noble and legitimate meaning. Few like him have elevated the eternal values of wanting to be a better person without harming others.

Tireless worker and successful entrepreneur, a reference for decades in local commerce, Antonio “Pepita” notably dignifies the efforts of an entire generation, that of the immediate post-war period, in which ingenuity and the desire for improvement more than compensated for the shortages and routine difficulties of a then impoverished town called Fuencaliente, located at the southern edge of the island's emigration exodus and which for decades has been one of the most promising references for the future of La Palma.

A generous man of proven virtue, Antonio “Pepita” loved his family as much as his town, to which he always gave a clear example of a serious and dedicated person, as was characteristic of his way of being and the nobility of the teachings he received. Always willing with dedication and good work, all his neighbors and friends respected and loved him because he also respected and kept the doors of his house open, which were the doors of his big and broadly human heart.

May the dearly loved and admired fellow citizen Antonio Bienes Martín, Antonio “Pepita”, friend of happy days, be remembered with affection, respect, and gratitude that he deserves. A strong hug to his wife Celsa and his children Juan Antonio, Mario, Isabel, Belén, and Verónica during these sad hours of his earthly farewell.

As we recount the years lived – many, to be honest – in good harmony and with the closeness of someone we felt was a gratifying part of our lives, we also tell you that it is a moment of great joy that will always accompany you, because we have known and shared a wonderful time with a simply extraordinary man. Now, the long staircase of his house in Las Indias has taken him to eternal life, and there he will live forever in fertile memory.

Photo: provided