Bianca DeConciliis Statue, Calvary Cemetery


An update: Note the comment below requesting information on Bianca DeConciliis. Both Father Pitt and his commenter would appreciate the help, which can be left in the form of a comment on this article.

A life-size portrait of a beautiful young woman who died at twenty or twenty-one: she was born in 1921 and died in 1942.


13 responses to “Bianca DeConciliis Statue, Calvary Cemetery”

  1. Beginning as a small child I have been so taken by the beauty of Biancas statue. I took my daughters over the year to see her. Is there any information on this sad beautiful young woman. We would love to know her her history . With respect to her family, is there any information they could share. Thank you

    • It seems that even the cemetery records know only what you see on the monument:

      Bianca De conciliis
      Date of Birth : Unknown
      Date of Death: 00/00/1942
      Calvary Cemetery
      Section: Y
      Lot: 65
      Space: 5

      That is the entire content of the record for this burial. Father Pitt has updated the article to bring your request for information to the front, hoping that someone from the family might stumble on this page.

      • Pennsylvania Death Certificate: Available on Ancestry.com — Bianca DeConciliis is the daughter of Felice (Felix) DeConciliis and Luisa Lattanzio (both born Italy). Bianca was born in New York on 20 October 1921. The family lived on 110th Street in the Borough of Manhattan, New York. An older brother John was also born in New York, and a younger brother Arthur was born in Pennsylvania. The family lived on Methyl Street in the Beechview section of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, PA. Bianca, single, worked as a secretary in an office. She died in West Penn Hospital (after an 11 day confinement) at age 20 years, 5 months, 29 days, on 19 April 1942 at 12:40 PM of Acute Myocardial Failure due to Undulant Fever. Autopsy results Cardiac Decompensation, Generalized Lymphadenopathy. Burial on 23 April 1942, Calvary Catholic Cemetery, Hazelwood Avenue, Pittsburgh. Her parents had the statue erected.
        Her father Felice (Felix) son of Felice DeConciliis and Giovanna Vassimino, was born Italy on 4 Oct 1884 died at age 71 on 11 June 1956 at St. Clair Hospital, Mt Lebanon, PA. Cause Myocardial Infarction, Arteriosclerotic Heart Disease. He was a salesman and wholesale merchant.
        Her mother Luisa, born Italy 21 March 1896, daughter of Leonardo and Maria Lattanzio. Luisa died 29 October 1959, cause Coronary Occulusion, Myocardial Infarction, etc.
        Brother John Anthony. DeConcillis — B: 21 Sept 1914 D: 21 Mar 1999, Cannot locate a record for the youngest child Arthur DeConciliis.
        Bianca, her parents, brother John and his family are all buried in Section Y, Lot 65, Calvary Catholic Cemetery, 718 Hazelwood Avenue, Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania.

      • Death Certificate: Bianca DiConciliis, address 1634 Methyl Street, Pittsburgh, PA. Born: New York City, N. Y., on 20 October 1921. Daughter of Felix DiConciliis (born Italy) and Louisa Lattanzio (born Italy). Bianca was unmarried and worked as a Secretary. She was a patient for 11 days in West Penn Hospital and died on 19 April 1942 at age 20 years, 5 months and 29 days. Cause of death: Acute Myocardial Failure, Andulant Fever. Autopsy: Cardiac Decompensation, General Lymphodenopathy. Buried Calvary Cemetery, Pittsburgh, PA on 23 April 1942. Informant signature: John DiConciliis (her brother) who lived at the same address – home of parents.

        Her father Felix (Felice) DeConciliis was born Italy 4 October 1883. Emigrated circa 1908 to New York City. Married on 28 Jan 1915 to Luisa Lattanzio in Kings County, New York. Family lived at 165 110th Street, Manhattan Assembly district 18, New York City. Son John born in 1915, daughter Bianca born 1921. Sometime before 1929 the family moved to 1634 Methyl Street, Pittsburgh, PA. where son Arthur was born about 1928/9.

        Felix DeConciliis died at St. Clair Hospital on 11 June 1956 at age 71. He was married to Luisa. He was employed as a Wholesale Merchant. Cause of Death: Myocardial Infarction, Arteriosclerosis Heart Disease. Born in Italy 4 October 1884 (?), son of Felice DiConciliis and Giovanna Vassimo.

        Felix and Luisa are buried next to Bianca. I believe there are other Diconciliis family members buried more recently in graves behind the statue.

        Section Y, Plot 65, Grave 5 (Bianca)

      • From my research she announced her engagement to a Denardo February 1941. Came down with undulated fever. A week later died on April 19, 1942 of myocardial cardiac arrest. I looked on ancestry.com and found the info

    • Pennsylvania Death Certificate: Available on Ancestry.com — Bianca DeConciliis is the daughter of Felice (Felix) DeConciliis and Luisa Lattanzio (both born Italy). Bianca was born in New York on 20 October 1921. The family lived on 110th Street in the Borough of Manhattan, New York. An older brother John was also born in New York, and a younger brother Arthur was born in Pennsylvania. The family lived in the on Methyl Street in the Beechview section of Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, PA. Bianca, single, worked as a secretary in an office. She died in West Penn Hospital (after an 11 day confinement) at age 20 years, 5 months, 29 days, on 19 April 1942 at 12:40 PM of Acute Myocardial Failure due to Undulant Fever. Autopsy results Cardiac Decompensation, Generalized Lymphadenopathy. Burial on 23 April 1942, Calvary Catholic Cemetery, Hazelwood Avenue, Pittsburgh. Her parents had the statue erected.
      Her father Felice (Felix) son of Felice DeConciliis and Giovanna Vassimino, was born Italy on 4 Oct 1884 died at age 71 on 11 June 1956 at St. Clair Hospital, Mt Lebanon, PA. Cause Myocardial Infarction, Arteriosclerotic Heart Disease. He was a salesman and wholesale merchant.
      Her mother Luisa, born Italy 21 March 1896, daughter of Leonardo and Maria Lattanzio. Luisa died 29 October 1959, cause Coronary Occulusion, Myocardial Infarction, etc.
      Brother John Anthony. DeConcillis — B: 21 Sept 1914 D: 21 Mar 1999, Cannot locate a record for the youngest child Arthur DeConciliis.
      Bianca, her parents, brother John and his family are all buried in Section Y, Lot 65, Calvary Catholic Cemetery, 718 Hazelwood Avenue, Pittsburgh, Allegheny County, Pennsylvania

    • There was a story of a grief-stricken husband whose young wife’s death moved him to cast her life-like form in granite; that her image might forever grace the landscape of Calvary Cemetery in Pittsburgh. I’m thinking this could be her. I will check back for comments.

  2. Death Certificate: Bianca DiConciliis, address 1634 Methyl Street, Pittsburgh, PA. Born: New York City, N. Y., on 20 October 1921. Daughter of Felix DiConciliis (born Italy) and Louisa Lattanzio (born Italy). Bianca was unmarried and worked as a Secretary. She was a patient for 11 days in West Penn Hospital and died on 19 April 1942 at age 20 years, 5 months and 29 days. Cause of death: Acute Myocardial Failure, Andulant Fever. Autopsy: Cardiac Decompensation, General Lymphodenopathy. Buried Calvary Cemetery, Pittsburgh, PA on 23 April 1942. Informant signature: John DiConciliis (her brother) who lived at the same address – home of parents.

    Her father Felix (Felice) DeConciliis was born Italy 4 October 1883. Emigrated circa 1908 to New York City. Married on 28 Jan 1915 to Luisa Lattanzio in Kings County, New York. Family lived at 165 110th Street, Manhattan Assembly district 18, New York City. Son John born in 1915, daughter Bianca born 1921. Sometime before 1929 the family moved to 1634 Methyl Street, Pittsburgh, PA. where son Arthur was born about 1928/9.

    Felix DeConciliis died at St. Clair Hospital on 11 June 1956 at age 71. He was married to Luisa. He was employed as a Wholesale Merchant. Cause of Death: Myocardial Infarction, Arteriosclerosis Heart Disease. Born in Italy 4 October 1884 (?), son of Felice DiConciliis and Giovanna Vassimo.

    Felix and Luisa are buried next to Bianca. I believe there are other Diconciliis family members buried more recently in graves behind the statue.

    P.S. I thought I sent some of this information earlier, however, I do not see any earlier reply here. I initially looked for information on Bianca last year when a photo of the statue was posted on facebook. Please let me know if you receive this and also have any questions.

  3. From the death cert. it appears that Bianca died from brucellosis which led to heart failure , likely a result of drinking unpasteurized milk or perhaps eating uncooked meat. Acccording to Wikipedia: The gold standard treatment for adults is daily intramuscular injections of streptomycin 1 g for 14 days and oral doxycycline 100 mg twice daily for 45 days (concurrently). Of course, no antibiotics were available in 1942.

  4. Bianca DeConciliis was born 10/20/1921 in NYC. Her parents, Felix DeConciliis & Louisa Lattanzio were both born in Italy. They lived at 1634 Methyl St. in Beechview. Bianca died in West Penn Hospital on 4/19/1942 of acute heart failure due to undulant fever (brucellosis).
    Information obtained from her death certificate.

  5. Bianca DeConciliis, Born in New York Oct. 20, 1921 Died April 19, 1942. She was the daughter of Felice DeConciliis and Louisa Lattanzio. Bianca was only in the Pittsburgh area for 11 days, that time was in the Western Pennsylvania Hospital, Pittsburgh. One would assume that she was brought to Pittsburgh solely for medical treatment, unfortunately without success.

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