BATON ROUGE - Following the death of Baton Rouge coffee shop owner Vincent Cannatella, his family and store patrons shared memories of his life and legacy.

The beignets are a recipe crafted almost half a century ago when Cannatella opened up Coffee Call in Baton Rouge.

"Ingredients are ingredients,” Brandi Catoire, Cannatella’s granddaughter, said. “You can put together stuff and make recipes, but if you don't love what you do, that energy that you put into something makes all the difference."

In the 1970s, he would learn about franchising from Dunkin’ Donuts University and then make it his own. Now, all these years later, the tradition Cannatella started is being passed down in Baton Rouge.

"Coffee Call has been a staple of this community for many, many years,” customer Darrell White said. “I grew up about half a mile down the street."

White’s been a patron of Coffee Call for years, and during our interview, he pulled out a picture of his grandkids. He says they’re big fans of the beignets and chocolate milk. He prefers a coffee with a muffin.

“When I get a chance to drink coffee, Coffee Call comes to mind,” White said.

Catoire said it was Cannatella’s dream to open up a place where his family could work and spend time together.

“We continue to do that in the spirit of him,” she said.

Cannatella's funeral is set for Saturday at St. Jude Church in Baton Rouge. Visitation starts at 10 a.m., with the funeral following at noon.