Verna Alexander

Bunny was born on March 31, 1919, in Otisfield, Maine, the daughter of Charles and Rena (Martin) Mayberry. When Bunny was two her family moved to Mount Hermon School for Boys in Gill, Massachusetts. Bunny graduated from Northfield School for Girls in Northfield, Massachusetts and earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in sociology from Barnard College in New York. On June 14, 1947, she married Edmund Alexander, a teacher at Mt. Hermon. The couple raised their daughter and son on the beautiful campus where Bunny herself had grown up, and spent summers at their home on Bucks Pond in Harwich on Cape Cod. Once her children were in grade school, Bunny went back to school and earned her teaching certificate from the University of Massachusetts. She was one of the early pioneers in the field of special education and brought a unique energy and caring to her work tutoring students confined to their homes in Franklin County and teaching remedial reading in the Montague school system. When Ed retired in 1972, they made their permanent home in Harwich, and Bunny continued to teach children with special needs in the Harwich school system until 1981.

Bunny will be remembered for her fun-loving generous spirit—and for her radiant, dimpled smile. She was devoted to family and friends. A great believer in seizing the day and not missing out on life’s special moments, she advocated getting up early to attend sunrise services and waking up in the middle of the night to watch eclipses and meteor showers. Bunny lived a long and very special life and will be greatly missed by those of us who love her with all our hearts.

She is survived by her daughter Nancy Randall of Pomfret, Vermont, son Chuck and daughter-in-law Marie of Liberty Township, Ohio, 5 grandchildren and 7 great grandchildren. She was predeceased by her husband Edmund, her brother Paul Mayberry, her sister Helen Mayberry, and her son-in-law Richard Randall.

Bunny’s family extends heartfelt thanks to the administration and staff of Kendal at Hanover, where Bunny made her home for the last 14 years of her life, and especially to the nursing staff on Jones, who treated Bunny with such love and compassion.

A service in celebration of Bunny’s life will be held at First Church of Harwich, 697 Main Street, Harwich, MA on Wednesday, July 9 at 2:00 PM.

In lieu of flowers, contributions in Bunny’s memory may be made to the Employee Education Fund, Kendal at Hanover, 80 Lyme Road, Hanover, NH 03755.