Bunny Jean Raba

Bunny Jean Raba went to her heavenly reward on Wednesday, July 2, 2003 at home surrounded by family, friends and the things that she loved. She fought the good fight for a number of years, she finished the race, but most importantly, she kept the Faith. She was 62.

Bunny Jean, or "BJ" as she was known to her friends, was born in San Antonio, Texas. She attended Providence High School, where she met her husband to be, Carl F. Raba, Jr., who was studying Civil Engineering at Texas A & M University. They were married in 1957 and raised a family of five children and were active members of St. Luke's Catholic Church.

She was one of the three cofounders of an engineering firm in 1968 which is today known as Raba-Kistner Consultants, Inc., with offices in Texas and Mexico. She retired from the firm as Senior Chairman of the Board due to ill health in 2000.

Bunny will be remembered for her contributions not only to her family and friends, but to the community as well. Bunny's commitment to her community was endless. Her values and priority of Faith, family and education are reflected by the groups she championed. She served on numerous boards, including: the National Kidney Foundation; YMCA of San Antonio and The Hill Country where she lead the Capital Campaign for what is now known as the May's Family Branch; the Greater San Antonio Chamber of Commerce; Northside Independent School District Education Foundation, where in 1995 she spearheaded the efforts to create a major endowment for the purpose of funding student educational enrichment programs.

Bunny's commitment and dedication to her community has been honored on numerous occasions. In 2000, the Northside ISD honored Bunny by dedicating and naming an elementary school the Carl and Bunny Jean Raba Elementary School; the National Kidney Foundation honored her with the Katherine Dial Murray 'Gift of Life Award'; the YMCA has honored her on several occasions with the Chairman's Round Table Award and Volunteer of the Year Association Award; and, Any Baby Can Alliance honored Bunny with the 'Alliance Angel Award.' In 1989, she was inducted as a Lady in the Equestrian Order of the Knights of the Holy Sepulcher where she was admitted by Papal Decree.

Bunny loved Texas A&M University where her husband, five children and their spouses all graduated. She was a member of the Development Advisory Committee for the Texas A&M Foundation. Bunny served as an area representative for A&M's "Capturing the Spirit" and "One Spirit One Vision" capital campaigns.

In addition to her loving husband of 45 years, Bunny Jean is survived by her five children and nine grandchildren, all of which are from San Antonio: Gary W. Raba, his wife, Joni and children Amanda and Gage; Nancy Raba Maloy, her husband, Bill and children, Lucas, Trevor and Jacob; William L. Raba, his wife, Merry and children, Victoria and Wills; Cheryl L. Raba and her son, Zane Matthew; and Cathy Raba Turcotte and her son, Chase Kenedy. Bunny is also survived by her mother, Edith Bridge and her husband, Tom; and her brother, William C. Dever, of Dallas, his wife, Carol, brother-in-law Lawrence Raba, his wife, Regina, her Aunt Bessie Kronkosky and numerous nieces and nephews, as well as many friends who she considered part of her family.

Of greatest importance to Bunny recently, was her time spent serving on the Board of Seton Home, a home for teenage mothers choosing to keep their babies, where she served as its President from 1999-2002. She devoted the best of her remaining days to the Seton Home Capital Campaign, which will double the capacity of Seton Home to include additional maternity and transitional housing, a child care center, and a chapel.

The family wishes to thank special friends, Joy Moose and Bill Hardin, for their steadfast support, Dr. Stephen Rosenblatt for his care and friendship, the tremendous medical teams which supported Bunny and her family through her illnesses, and Mary Irene Lopez, Zulma Garcia, and Peggy Love for their personal care and attention in Bunny's final months.

To paraphrase the words of the Any Baby Can Alliance Angel Award in 1996 Bunny will be missed "For the example your life has set, for the compassion, commitment and contribution you have given to our community. Your life is a gift to all of us."

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made in honor of Bunny Jean Raba to Seton Home Capital Campaign, 1115 Mission Road, San Antonio, Texas 78210-4505, Attn: Kathy Mittler, 210 533-3504 or at [email protected].