Elaine Catherine Biancalana

Elaine C. Biancalana, formerly Elaine C. Bolger, of Castle Rock, Colorado, died of natural causes November 23, 2006 after living a long and fruitful life. Born January 8, 1922 in Chicago, IL, Elaine grew up in an American Irish family along with four sisters, Dolores, Marilyn, Jane, and Celeste; and two brothers, Jack and Bob. In 1947, successful restaurateur, Joseph Biancalana, hired Elaine as a hostess for his Italian restaurant the Casa Bianca. Joseph and Elaine fell in love and eventually married in August 1950. Joseph was a widower with two sons, Raymond and Edmond. In 1951, Elaine and Joseph added one more son, Joseph, Jr. to the Biancalana family. Eventually selling the Casa Bianca, the family later opened La Scala Italian restaurant where Elaine also worked as hostess and bookkeeper. In 1960, the family left Chicago and moved to Mountain View, California, where Joseph and Elaine managed the Sunnyview Club for several years. They later went on to manage the Palo Alto Men's Club. After Joseph Senior's death in 1986, Elaine continued on alone managing the Club. Despite being afflicted with rheumatoid arthritis, Elaine worked long hours on her feet serving lunch daily. Elaine remained at the Club until her retirement in 1994. Elaine made one more move, this time to Castle Rock, Colorado in 2000 where she enjoyed the rest of her years with her grandson, Joseph, III, his wife, Lori, and her two great-grandsons, Joseph, IV and Brenden. Elaine, in the Biancalana tradition, always cooked with plenty of crème, butter, and salt and never held back. She could often be heard saying things like, 'You're not going to eat that roll without butter?' or 'Let me fix you a sandwich' which would always end up being a three course meal. Her attention to food service protocol and her zest for good food is who Elaine Biancalana is. Her love of family is her trademark. She truly lived to serve others. Buono Appetito! Elaine's loving son, Joseph Jr., preceded her in death in 1991. Surviving are her two step-sons, Raymond and wife, Carol, and Edmond and wife, Cathy; eight grandchildren, Karen, Danny, David, Joseph, III, Lisa, Anne-Marie, Kimberly, and Angela; and seventeen great-grandchildren. A Funeral Mass will be held at 11:00 a.m., Thursday, November 30, 2006 at Horan & McConaty Funeral Home, 5303 East County Line Road, Centennial, CO, 80122. A Memorial Service will be arranged in Palo Alto, CA at a later date. Please contact joe@biancalanafamily.net for further information. Please share your memories of Elaine with her family by clicking on the "sign guestbook" button below.