New Book Profiles Well-Known People Interred In Calvalry Cemetery

PITTSBURGH, PA — For several years, Edward Bonner frequently wandered the paths of Calvary Cemetery on a quest that began in his youth. Among the markers of the more than 150,000 people interred or entombed in the 200-acre cemetery, he searched for a select few ones and took photos of them.

"I grew up in Hazelwood and I used to go to the cemetery a lot," he said. "And as I did, I started wondering about all the famous people buried there."

The results of those searches and the historical research that followed have resulted in the recent book, "The Final Resting Place: Calvary Cemetery." Published by Sunberry Press in Mechanicsburg, it tells the frequently fascinating stories of about 50 well-known people for whom Calvary is indeed their final resting place.

"From start to finish, it probably took me around four years to complete," said Bonner, 64, of Canonsburg, a retired American Airlines airplane mechanic and an active poet. "Hunting for the graves took some time. They give you the section where someone is located, but then you have to look around to find the actual grave site."

Among the graves the Bonner located were those of:

• David L. Lawrence, who served as Pittsburgh's mayor from 1946 through 1959 before being elected Pennsylvania governor.

• Richard Caliguiri, who served as Pittsburgh's mayor from 1977 until his death in 1988 from amyloidosis.

• Bob O'Connor, the longtime Pittsburgh city councilman who served nine months as mayor before dying of brain cancer in September 2006.

• Frank Gorshin, an actor, comedian and impressionist best known for his role as The Riddler in the 1960s live-action "Batman" series.

• John and Edward Biddle, two brothers who escaped from the Allegheny County Jail in 1902 with tools and weapons supplied by the warden's wife, Kate Soeffel. Their exploits were the basis of the 1984 movie "Mrs. Soeffel."

• Billy Conn, the boxer known as "The Pittsburgh Kid," and member of the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

• Patrick J. Sullivan, who served two terms in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Bonner said he is hard at work on his next book.

"I went around and took pictures of all the monuments and statues around Pittsburgh," he said. "There sure are a lot of them."

The book can be ordered here.