One of Memphis' widely-known restaurant men, Rinaldo (Willie) Grisanti, 76, died at 6:30 last night at St. Joseph Hospital. Mr. Grisanti and his eldest son, Elfo Grisanti, owned Grisanti's in the old Snowden mansion at 1397 Central, a long-time Memphis landmark. Mr. Grisanti came to Memphis in 1903 from Valdotavvo in the Italian Province of Lucca. He worked 10 years as a butcher and barkeeper to accumulate the money to open his first restaurant which as at South Main and Talbot. He later had a restaurant at Main and Georgia and then one across from Central Station on Main. After it burned, the place on Central was opened in April of 1960. Mr. Grisanti was known for his geniality and interest in people as well as his fine food. He lived at 3670 Homewood and was a communicant of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church.
His first wife, Mrs. Mary Grisanti, died in November of 1961. He leaves his wife, Mrs. Edith Lester Grisanti; four sons, Elfo, with whom he operated the restaurant on Central, John A. Grisanti, owner of John A. Grisanti Restaurant at 1489 Airways, and Arthur and James Grisanti, also of Memphis; two daughters, Mrs. Vivian Padgett of Cumberland, Md., and Mrs. Gloria Pieroni of St. Louis; three step-children, George Thompson, Mrs. James Giddeon and Leona Gordon of Memphis; 25 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. The rosary will be said at 8:00 tonight at Memphis Funeral Home. Requeim Mass will be said at 10:30 a.m. tomorrow at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church with burial in Calvary Cemetery. ~~~ THE MEMPHIS PRESS-SCMITIAR, July 28, 1966, page 32

One of Memphis' widely-known restaurant men, Rinaldo (Willie) Grisanti, 76, died at 6:30 last night at St. Joseph Hospital. Mr. Grisanti and his eldest son, Elfo Grisanti, owned Grisanti's in the old Snowden mansion at 1397 Central, a long-time Memphis landmark. Mr. Grisanti came to Memphis in 1903 from Valdotavvo in the Italian Province of Lucca. He worked 10 years as a butcher and barkeeper to accumulate the money to open his first restaurant which as at South Main and Talbot. He later had a restaurant at Main and Georgia and then one across from Central Station on Main. After it burned, the place on Central was opened in April of 1960. Mr. Grisanti was known for his geniality and interest in people as well as his fine food. He lived at 3670 Homewood and was a communicant of Immaculate Conception Catholic Church.
His first wife, Mrs. Mary Grisanti, died in November of 1961. He leaves his wife, Mrs. Edith Lester Grisanti; four sons, Elfo, with whom he operated the restaurant on Central, John A. Grisanti, owner of John A. Grisanti Restaurant at 1489 Airways, and Arthur and James Grisanti, also of Memphis; two daughters, Mrs. Vivian Padgett of Cumberland, Md., and Mrs. Gloria Pieroni of St. Louis; three step-children, George Thompson, Mrs. James Giddeon and Leona Gordon of Memphis; 25 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. The rosary will be said at 8:00 tonight at Memphis Funeral Home. Requeim Mass will be said at 10:30 a.m. tomorrow at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church with burial in Calvary Cemetery. ~~~ THE MEMPHIS PRESS-SCMITIAR, July 28, 1966, page 32