She was born to Walter John Bernauer and Alice Dorothy Charles in Chicago on June 11, 1940 and named Valerie Jeanne Bernauer. Her grandmother, who was instrumental in raising her, preferred to call her Buni, her “bundle of joy.” Many years later, after her marriage, she changed her name officially to Buni Jeanne Lane.
Buni was a champion swimmer in Chicago, spending many happy hours at the “Y” (YMCA). She had a brother, Thomas Andrew, two years younger than herself, and for his benefit the family of three moved to Costa Mesa, California in 1957 where she continued swimming. After graduation in 1958 she attended Orange Coast College for two years, participating actively in student government. She was also instrumental in forming a Christian Science Organization on that campus. She served as soloist for the Christian Science Church in Garden Grove, and continued sharing her beautiful voice as soloist for many years.
Then on to UCLA where she majored in Physical Education. She met her husband-to-be, Paul G. Lane, in the C.S. Org at UCLA. They graduated in 1962 and were married in 1963. Both continued in graduate school and she received a Master’s Degree in 1964, her thesis being “Synchronized Swimming as an Art Form”. Then off to Fort Benning, GA and Fort Devens, MA where Paul began his training as an Army officer, having been commissioned 2nd Lieutenant on graduation day.
After substitute teaching in Los Angeles schools for a few months, she set off the join Paul in Ankara, Turkey, where they had a wonderful experience, including visits to most of the seven churches mentioned in the Bible, book of Revelation. After twenty-two months Paul was discharged and they launched a tour of the Middle East, including Beirut (Lebanon), Damascus (Syria), Jerusalem (Jordanian side) and Cairo (Egypt). Their visits to holy sights from the Bible was a highlight of their lives together. This was followed by touring Europe, including Germany (where they bought a brand-new Opel Kadett), Austria, Italy, Greece, Monaco, Nice, Germany again, France, Holland (height of tulip season) and London.
On returning to the U.S. Buni and Paul began teaching at San Clemente High School. They bought a house in Mission Viejo and have lived there for 52 years. For many years she taught children to swim in the backyard pool. The next year she resigned her teaching position to begin her career as a Christian Science practitioner, continuing in the work of healing through spiritual means alone for fifty years. The next year her daughter, Sara Jean, was born and so she had another job as mother, at which she excelled. At this time she and her husband and three others began work on establishing a Christian Science church in Mission Viejo.
Some years later she became very active in supporting Sara’s ballet training/career by working with the Coast Ballet Theater (later Anaheim Ballet); also she chaired the committee for building a church edifice in Rancho Santa Margarita. She is survived by her husband, daughter, son-in-law (Blake Windal) and two beautiful granddaughters, Amelia and Aria.
The spiritual qualities she expressed throughout her life include compassion, generosity, intelligence, wisdom, integrity, loving-kindness, faith, spiritual understanding, and trust in the Father-Mother God.
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