Luciana Antonia Bohne

On August 9, 2023 Luciana Antonia Bohne, nee Opassi, passed away after a short illness, leaving behind a world impoverished by her departure.

Born December 12, 1939 in Cerreto, Istria (part of Italy at the time, later Yugoslavia, and now Croatia), Luciana had a small-village childhood prior to the day in May 1948 when her family was forced to flee, traveling first to Italy and ultimately to the United States. Her early experiences were to affect Lucy profoundly throughout her lifetime; a grandfather, an uncle, and an aunt were killed during the war, and, as a five-year-old, she was strafed by a plane, traumatized but not injured. As a war refugee, Lucy was forever haunted by the past and by the spectre of other wars. When asked her nationality of origin, Lucy (as she did in a 2002 essay) would describe herself as "a Slav-Italian from the northeast of the Italian peninsula," since during her lifetime three different powers serially claimed the area of her birth.

While studying Spanish at New York University she met Frederick John Bohne, the love of her life; a man she described as being perfect in "decency and intelligence.” They married and had a daughter, Catherine, in 1968. When Fred was hired at Edinboro University of Pennsylvania, the family settled in this area. After years spent moving around during childhood, unsure of her safety, Lucy was happy to make a stable, secure home for her family. An incomparable hostess, cook and baker, Lucy delighted in entertaining, and for every holiday invited into her home people who did not have relatives nearby with whom to celebrate. Over time, after Fred died in 1990, Lucy made her home into an artistic salon, a haven where people could discuss books, current events, or their own creative works. Between 1977 and her retirement in 2014, Lucy taught courses in Film, World Literature, English, and Women’s Studies at a number of local universities, including Allegheny College, Mercyhurst University, and Penn State Behrend. At Edinboro University of Pennsylvania she was tenured and taught for more than two decades, always challenging her students to think critically and write clearly. Some former students remained in close contact with Lucy and became her treasured friends. A scholar with many interests, Lucy co-founded Film Criticism in 1975, a journal that brings together cinema and media studies and still operates today. While at Edinboro University she was a founding member of the North Africa/West Asia Studies Committee. Ever curious and passionate, Lucy’s final years were devoted to a sudden passion for China – history, modern politics, and culture.  She was learning Mandarin. After her retirement, Lucy began writing for the online political and literary journal, Counterpunch.

Besides cooking, Lucy enjoyed crocheting and gardening; her yard was always a showplace full of lush growth. Lucy loved animals, having had a series of feline and canine companions over the years, and she always kept full bird feeders on her deck.

Lucy leaves behind her beloved daughter, Catherine, relatives in Italy and her current Shih Tzu companion, Mao. Luciana is terribly missed by her many friends.

Friends may call at Glunt Funeral Home and Crematory, Inc., 210 Erie Street, Edinboro, on Saturday, August 26, 2023 from 2 to 3 p.m., followed by a memorial service at 3 p.m.  For those unable to attend in person, the service will be livestreamed at www.gluntfuneralhome.com. Please join us in celebrating the life of this extraordinary individual.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Erie Humane Society at www.eriehumanesociety.org/donate,  or to another animal rescue of your choice.  To send condolences, please visit www.gluntfuneralhome.com.