Harry Thomas Bianconi

1943 - 2020

HUNTINGTON BEACH — Harry Thomas Bianconi passed away on December 1, 2020 in Newport Beach at the age of 77. Harry was predeceased by Carol, his beloved wife of 49 years (in August of 2020); his father, Enrico Harry T. Bianconi and mother, Florence Bianconi. Harry was born in New York in 1943 and moved to San Diego with his family as a pre-schooler.

Harry graduated from Saint Augustine High School in San Diego in 1961, lettering in track and enjoying his hot rod Chevys. While in high school Harry started working in the hotel and hospitality business, at the Half Moon Bay Inn in San Diego. During a varied career from 1961 to 1990, Harry worked at hotels in the Bay Area, Palm Springs and across Southern California. Starting as a bellman in San Diego, Harry rose to be Director of Sales for the Queensway Bay Hilton and The Queen Mary in Long Beach.

Upon leaving the hotel business, Harry and Carol started two successful home businesses in 1990, supplying nail charms, jewelry and other fashion items to nail salons using direct and catalog sales, and presenting at trade shows. Harry embraced the advent of the internet, designing and building six websites himself and increasing their clientele to include customers on four continents.

Harry served in the US Navy Reserve from 1964 until 1970 as a parachute rigger at both the Lakehurst, NJ and Los Alamitos Naval Air Stations.

An avid photographer and motor sports fan, Harry chronicled many of the Long Beach Grand Prix races, making friends with the drivers that stayed in his hotels and gifting them photos of themselves on the track and in the pits.

Huntington Beach residents for nearly 40 years, Harry and Carol were members of the Huntington Harbour Yacht Club for many years, serving as officers of the club and winning prizes during the annual Christmas Cruise of Lights.

In his later years, Harry enjoyed the regular reunion lunches of his “Saints” high school buddies at Filippi’s in San Diego’s Little Italy.

Harry leaves no children or immediate family. Per Harry’s wishes, there will be no memorial service. Interment at El Camino Memorial Park.