Welcome to Bunny Maria's page, the Original Gang of Ten's favorite cousin!

THE ORIGINAL GANG OF TEN'S COUSIN, BUNNY MARIA, AND HER FAMILY MOURN THE PASSING OF
HER HUSBAND, TONY MARIA

Amr and Bunny	Charlene and Amr	Paula and Jim	Steve and Charles

Tony Maria's Eulogy - Words of Remembrance

by Niece Patricia Clair

Good morning! For those of you who do not know me, I am Tony's niece and godchild, which clearly, in my humble opinion, elevated me to the favorite niece status-something I never failed to remind him of, or anyone else in the room for that matter, each time we visited.

Those of you who knew my uncle, know that he and Aunt Bunny loved to go camping. I could never understand how they loved it so much given the lack of access to a blow dryer, flat-iron, a hot shower in a warm bathroom, and, most importantly, a comfy bed (preferably with the little chocolate mint sitting on my pillow). All of these are necessities in my book. Without these must-have amenities, I don't get very excited about camping in the great outdoors. However, on the occasions our family went camping with the Marias when I was a child, I can remember my uncle telling us that it was always important to leave the campsite better off than you found it; and I have to say, thinking about Uncle Tony, this belief was reflected in the very way he lived his entire life. He truly left the world a better place than he found it!

As the oldest and only male of five siblings, he always felt the responsibility of looking out for his younger sisters, something he carried into his adult life, doing the same later for his wife and three children. Family was important to him; and in thinking about his long career with the Maynard school system, I cannot help but think his work also truly reflected who he was. He was the kind of person who did not need to be front and center. He preferred quietly making a diference and never asking for accolades. He was the go-to guy at the school, always there for the kids in the cafeteria, the teachers in the classrooms, and taking real pride in making sure the school always looked its best.

He did his job every day; he did it well, and everyone knew they could count on him to be there to repair any fixture, or clean up any spill or mess. When you think about it, the pride in his work, his constant, quiet presence at the school, and his devotion to putting forth 100% effort each day is what we all strive to do in our own lives.

So, this morning, as we say our good-byes to Uncle Tony, I hope we can all take a small piece of who he was, and how he lived, and carry those qualities with us. It will be the best way we can honor his memory. As I watched what Charlene did to honor his wishes to stay at home for as long as possible, and the incredible attention she gave to his care, I see that she already has a huge jumpstart on us all in honoring her dad's memory by quietly being so caring and loving to him during his long illness.

So, Uncle Tony, as you entered through the gates of Heaven, I can't help but think that my dad, Uncle Ray, and Bud were right there for you at a kitchen table laughing at some corny joke, drinking cheap beer, and ready to have you pull up a chair too, so they could give you grief about your jet black hair and how it mysteriously never turned grey. Rest well, Uncle Tony, rest well. You lived the advice you gave me at the campsite when I was a child every day in your life, and we are all better off for knowing you. We will miss you.

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Old French Family homestead near the Wayside Inn in Sudbury, MA. Bunny's mother, Aunt Laura, and her sister, Grandma Gardner (Olive French) lived here as siblings. The property was sold to Henry Ford and he built a famous trade school for boys around 1938.

December, 2006

 Hello Dear Family and Friends,

 I hope all is well with you and will continue.

 For me, I am feeling fine most of the time.  I’m being seen once a year to check on a bladder cancer and two skin cancers.  Compared to other couples I have heard about, this is minor.

 I am sorry not to be in touch all year like some others have with us - and we enjoy.   I would like to be more in touch, but don’t count on it.  Ruth was always the letter writer.  I am more likely to pick up the telephone, - so maybe!

 Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

 With Love and Best Wishes,

 Wally and Ruth

Welcome to Tony and Bunny's 50th Wedding Anniversary!

A union blessed by God ...

The Happy Couple

(Click on a small photo to see the full-size picture.  Please be patient while it downloads.  After you have finished viewing the picture, click on your browser's back button to return to this page.)

More Pictures of Interest ....

Dawnita Ames, The Belle of the Ball

Do you have a picture you would like to have posted to this page?  Please send it to Cousin Greta or Paul Gardner via e-mail and it will be posted right away.

Thank you.

Do you want to see Uncle Raymond's and Aunt Margaret's 50th wedding anniversary pictures?  Click here.

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