BRISTOL — June Bernardine Stehr Daubner, known to everyone as Bunny, passed in her home on July 14, 2020, at the age of 89, 47 years to the day after her mother’s death. She was surrounded by family, laughter, music and love.
She was born to Joseph and Bernardine Stehr in Jersey City, N.J., on June 18, 1931. The youngest of eight siblings, she came out smiling, listening and questioning everything all at once. Her spirit started with love and an unwavering commitment to the people around her. Her innate sense of moral responsibility had her plotting to stop Hitler when she was just 10 years old. As she grew up, she still wished to bring peace to the world in any way she could, big or small. She continued to encompass the principle that all people deserve love.
In 1952 she married her one true love, Clarence Peter Daubner, and built a life with him in Sparta, N.J. They went on to have nine beautiful children. As they grew, so did her love for peace, justice, humanitarian and environmental work. Bunny and Peter fell in love with Vermont and later in their years built a home in Bristol, just before Peter’s passing in 1991. In 2008, she lost her eldest daughter Beth to breast cancer. Despite these heartbreaking losses, Bunny continued to open her heart and expand her family through close friendships in her community.
Chances are, you’ve seen her smiling and waving on the corner of Main Street in Bristol on Friday nights, calling out for peace. Her oft-repeated saying springs to our lips: “War is not healthy for children and other living things.”
Her eight surviving children, 28 grandchildren, 19 great-grandchildren, many unofficially adopted children, friends, and admirers will undoubtedly multiply her vision, as her name would imply.
Bunny embodied gratitude and peace until her death. She found joy in donating her time and resources to her community and worthy organizations. In true Bunny fashion, she donated her body to the Anatomical Gift Program at the University of Vermont.
In lieu of flowers, please consider making a donation in her name to these local organizations she cherished:
Wild Roots Farm — an educational, veteran-run farm located in Bristol, that works to teach land stewardship and promote peace among all things. Donate online at wildrootsfarmvermont.com or send a check to 195 Shermans Lane, Bristol, VT  05443.
Wells Mountain Initiative — working to create social change through education and community building by providing people in the developing world with student scholarships and skills training. Donate at wellsmountaininitiative.org or send a check to 25 Main St, Bristol, VT 05443.
Her celebration of life will be announced at a later date.◊