Obituaries

Anna Del Bianco: Owner of Lucca’s Italian Restaurant Passes at Age 88

Anna Lattanzio Del Bianco (88), passed away on Saturday, May 12, 2018 in Santa Barbara, California at the age of 88 years. Anna was born in College Point in the Boroughs of Queens in New York City, to Italian Immigrants, Nicholas and Lucia Zaino Lattanzio. She along with her parents moved to Madera, California where she graduated from Madera Union High School with the Class of 1948. Her 3 brothers following World War II joined the family in Madera where they became well known members of the then small town of Madera with it’s large Italian community.

Anna met and married Elmo Del Bianco who’s parents Georgio and Lela Del Bianco had opened Lucca’s Italian Restaurant in 1935. Anna and Elmo along with brother-in-law and sister-in-law Sirio and Victoria became co-owners and operators of the Madera landmark. Following the retirement of her in-laws, her son George joined Anna and Elmo in the operation of the Restaurant until it’s closure in 1999. Anna was an integral part in the operation of the restaurant over the years and even after it’s closure was sought after to make the legendary Lucca’s raviolis and delicious sauce from her home kitchen. In recent years Anna was residing in Santa Barbara, California.

Anna was a supportive wife for Elmo during his years as a Madera County Board of Supervisor Member as well as his many community activities on boards and memberships in service organizations. She was a member of the parish of St. Joachim, and it’s prayer group, the Women’s Auxiliary of V.F.W. Post 1981, the Italo- American Club as well as the I-Lan Sister City with the Madera Chamber of Commerce. After her retirement she loved to volunteer in her great-grandchildrens’ classrooms, Ashton and Gavin, have lunch with the Red-Hat’s and play cards with the ladies.

In addition to her parents, Anna was preceded in death by her husband Elmo in 1997, her son George in 2007, and well as her brothers Bruno, Gabriel “Gabe”, and William “Willy” Lattanzio , and sister-in law Noreen Lattanzio., nephew Nick Lattanzio and nieces, Renee Lattanzio, Donna Lattanzio and Claire Lattanzio.

Anna is survived by her daughters Denise Del Bianco of Santa Barbara and Karen Blocher of Madera, she is the beloved grandmother of 11 grandchildren, Kelly, Deanna, Laura, Mary Ellen, Jimmy, Jeremy, Sandy, Heather, Misty , Justin, and Katy, 5 great grandchildren and is sister-in-law to Barbara Lattanzio of Madera, and June Lattanzio of Fresno as well as aunt to 4 nieces and 2 nephews.

Recitation of the Rosary will be on Monday, May 21, 2018 at 7 PM at Jay Chapel in Madera, Funeral Mass will be celebrated on Tuesday, May 22, 2018 at 11 AM at St. Joachim Catholic Church in Madera with Entombment following at Calvary Cemetery Mausoleum.

Remembrances may be made to St. Joachim Catholic Church, the American Heart Association or the Cancer Society.