Bruno Biava

Bruno Biava, 85, of Venice, FL, and previously of Dana Point, CA, passed away on Feb 25, 2015. Born in Chicago, IL, he was the youngest child of Joseph and Annetta Biava, both of whom had emigrated from Torino, Italy. In September of 1946, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps and served until his Honorable Discharge in September of 1948. While serving his country, Bruno earned his High School Diploma from Fenger High School in Chicago.

Bruno married Alberta "Bunny" Bunn and together they had three children: Lucy, Kurt and Melinda. They moved to Southern California and settled in Claremont. Bruno made his career at Aerojet Electrosystems Company in Azusa. Bruno and Bunny divorced in 1971 and shortly there after Bruno met Evelyn "Eve" Richards at Gulliver's Restaurant in Newport Beach. It was Love at First Sight.

On July 6, 1973 Bruno took two giant leaps - he married Eve and left his job at Aerojet to join his new bride in her catering business. Together they worked tirelessly and built Catering Unlimited into a successful company that employed over 100 people. By 1980, they had added several major airlines at John Wayne Airport as customers and their business model became almost exclusively airline food service. In 1987 they sold their business to Marriott In-Flight Services and retired!!

Early in their marriage they moved to San Juan Capistrano and later Dana Point and made wonderful lifelong friends - Martin and Dorothy Horner of NY, CA, and FL, Don and Marjorie Newton of San Juan Capistrano, CA, and many, many more. They loved dogs and over the years adopted a Saint Bernard, several Greyhounds, their most precious Sheltie, Duke, and later in Florida their Rat Terrier, Legs.

Bruno loved the sea and boating and piloted a 35 foot Mainship for many years. He loved to take friends and family on adventures along the Southern California coast and to Catalina Island. They were members of the Dana West Yacht Club for many years. In addition, they loved to travel and visited Hawaii, Tahiti, islands in the Caribbean, and Aruba where they went many times to spend time with their good friend Deborah St. Laurent. Their wanderlust was not limited to tropical islands. Europe, especially Italy and Sweden where Eve has family, Africa, New Zealand, Canada and Mexico were all stamped into their passports. They often traveled with their good friends and made new friends along the way!

When at home, Bruno and Eve loved to entertain. Friends and family were often at their home enjoying Bruno's wonderful, painstakingly prepared Italian family recipes. His Meat Sauce and Gnocchi were famous and oh, the Bagna Cauda!! Eve would add her fabulous salads and other favorites from her family and catering recipes. It was always a great time filled with good food and good friends.

In 2005, Bruno and Eve decided to fulfill a long held dream to live in Florida. They settled in Venice near close friends Joe and Marilyn Harrill in a lovely home on a small lake where they could watch the birds, turtles, an occasional alligator and other wildlife of the area. They made many new friends, especially Jim and Maria Parker, Stan and Marilyn Johnson, and Kevin and Michelle Clark and enjoyed life on the gulf coast. In the last few years, Bruno faced several health challenges, but he always had his loving wife Eve by his side.

He is survived by Eve, his devoted wife of almost 42 years; three children, Lucy (Bob) Van Buskirk and Kurt Biava, both of Olney, IL and Mindy (Maury) Barry, of Secor, IL; Eve's children Bob (Wendy) Richards of Sweet Home, OR , Diane Richards of Mission Viejo, CA; five grandchildren, Holly Richards of Los Angeles, CA, David Richards and Michael Richards of Portland, OR, Alexander Smithson of North Hollywood, CA and Valerie Smithson of San Clemente, CA. Bruno is also survived by his nephew Bob (Carolyn) Lofrano of Woodland Hills, CA, and niece-in-law Cathy (Jimmy) Lofrano of Alaska; sister-in-law May Greenwood of Coventry, RI; Eve's nephew Chet (Sue) Greenwood of Coventry, RI and niece Ruth (Paul) Horridge of Harrisville, RI and their families. He was preceded in death by his parents, Joseph and Annetta; brother Geno Biava of Chicago, IL and sister and brother-in-law, Rena and Carmen Lofrano; and nephews Carmen Lofrano and Jimmy Lofrano.

At Bruno’s request, no services are planned. The family requests, should you wish to send remembrances in his name, that they be directed to the Muscular Dystrophy Association at MDA.org.

Arrangements entrusted to Kays-Ponger Uselton Funeral Home and Cremation Services, Venice, Florida.