Leo Bianchi

A graduate of Sacred Heart Grade School and Omaha High School of Commerce (later Omaha Tech), Leo was one of five children. He was preceded in death by his parents, Frank and Anna, who immigrated from Italy, his three brothers, Harry, Eddie and Frankie and his sister, Anita Dickerson. He married Theresa Adele Faye on ­September 23, 1939. Adele went to heaven in 2004, after 64 years of marriage. Leo served his country in WWII with the U.S. Navy as a Fireman 1st Class on the destroyer escort U.S.S. Wiley in the Pacific. After the war, he returned to Omaha where he pursued a career in hospitality. In 1956, he refurbished a building into a bar he decided to name the Homy Inn. Leo introduced Champagne on Tap to Omaha and served revelers for decades to come. He retired at the age of 60 and joined the Senior Corps of Retired Executives, retiring from that organization . . . twice. Leo passed into eternal life just after midnight – right around the original closing time of the Homy Inn. He was lovingly cared for first at New Cassel Retirement Center and then for a year at the Eastern Nebraska Veterans Home. Leo will long be remembered for his faith in God, love of family, devotion to friends and positive outlook on life. He is survived by his four daughters, Diane (Gary) Erskine, Patricia (James) Bausch, Mary (Boyd) Wells, and Suzanne (Eugene) Capocasale, 8 grandchildren, 17 great-grandchildren, sisters-in-law Beverly Bianchi and Marian Bianchi, and many nieces, nephews, relatives, caregivers and friends.