AMHERST — A woman called an “unsung hero” for immigrants from El Salvador, and who helped found the original Antonio’s pizza-by-the-slice restaurant in Amherst, is being mourned.
Maria Julia Hernandez, known as “Mama Julia” to all those who worked with her, died last week outside her Hunters Hill Circle home in what investigators believe was an accident when she was struck by a vehicle driven by her husband.
“Anyone that knows her would know how important she was to the Antonio’s community, the El Salvadoran community in town, and that she was an unsung hero for many years,” said Jay Carreiro, general manager of Antonio’s.
Carreiro said in a phone interview Dec. 23 that Hernandez helped cofound the restaurant with the late Bruno Matarazzo in 1991, and continued with the day-to-day preparation of pizza since its first day, doing work such as cooking the chicken that tops some slices and making the pizza dough.
Antonio’s, which has expanded to seven locations, is famed for the unique toppings on its slices. “She had a hand in a lot of the varieties,” Carreiro said.
Most customers, though, wouldn’t see Hernandez, as she mostly stayed in the kitchen below the seating and serving area, including on Tuesday, the day she died.
“Anyone that’s ever worked with her knew her as kind. Mama Julia took care of anyone when they needed a hand, and a lot of joy was brought to her from cooking for people,” Carreiro said.
To offset the costs of the funeral, Carreiro created a GoFundMe page at www.gofundme.com/julia-hernandez-funeral-services.
He said canisters are also set up in Antonio’s’ three western Massachusetts locations — Amherst, Easthampton and Belchertown — with a possible benefit also planned after the holidays. “Everyone that knew her had a love for her and she will be missed greatly,” Carreiro said.
Scott Merzbach can be reached at smerzbach@gazettenet.com.