Remembering Bunnie

Born December 8, 1949 to William Theodore and Deane Wallace Brown of Clinton, TN. Bunnie grew up in Clinton and graduated from the University of Tennessee (UT) with a degree in Special Education. She met her husband, David, 55 years ago at UT. They married and raised three children in Knoxville. After discovering SGI on vacation in 1996, they moved to SG Plantation (SGP) in 2013. Over the next 10 years, Bunnie made her imprint on SGI & Franklin County, a place she dearly loved.

Bunnie never missed a chance to make life fun and interesting. She was a ferocious volunteer and particularly had a soft spot for children. She tutored at the Apalachicola Bay Charter School for a number of years. She was a founding member of Dinner Divas, which was started to raise funds for a sick friend. From this group “Santa Says Read” evolved, and books were donated during the holidays to Franklin County children. Later the Diva’s join forces with “Bring Me a Book Franklin” to encourage reading in the county. A long time board member and contributor, Bunnie was awarded Volunteer of the Year in 2024. She was a popular reader in the local schools, accompanied by her puppet, Blue Bunny. She painted faces at Shrimp Fest and started the games and children’s activity booths at SGI’s Lighting of the Palms. She had a way of finding volunteers for all these events. If you knew Bunnie, you were on her list of volunteers. She also made time to make and sell holiday wreaths to benefit the Apalachicola Historical Society.

Bunnie was awarded SGP Volunteer of the Year in 2015 because of her enormous contributions in the community. She started Bunco Babes which often earmarks funds for charity, aerobic and yoga exercise classes. She loved to dance and was always the first up for line dancing. She was an avid Tennis and Pickleball player and was welcoming to everyone she played. Her long time friend, Elaine Kozlowsky, with whom she spoke daily said, “Bunnie was always inclusive, she connected people.”

Bunnie served as the SGP Art Committee Chair for eight years. She started the SGI Paint Out bringing renowned local and regional artists to the area for exhibits and workshops. SGP has an incredible art collection thanks to Bunnie’s efforts and her eye for art, many donated by the Artist. Bunnie was an accomplished artist in her own right and studied art for many years. She volunteered with Forgotten Coast Plein Air and painted with the Turtle Pond Painters, a weekly art group that supported each other and their art. Bunnie was always a promoter of artists and their work. She was instrumental in starting the Children’s Tag Art Program which supports children’s art education in Franklin County schools.

In 2021 SGP Art and Social Committees combined (ArtSocial) and her touch of elegance was extended to the many social events throughout the year. When you experience the Magnolia clubhouse decorated with twinkle lights and music playing, think of Bunnie. She loved seeing people getting together having fun and the social events have been most successful that she and her committee hosted throughout her tenure.

Bunnie had a gift for fundraising. She once said, “I’m the ideas person” but she could organize and implement projects like no one else. She was joyful in the giving of her time and did nothing for personal gain or self promotion. In 2022, Bunnie retired from ArtSocial after nine years of service to focus more time on Back Pack Buddies, a program that supplements child nutrition on weekends. She felt this as a calling. Last May, she organized a Farm to Table dinner benefit. Hundreds of volunteers and donors attended and over $10,000 was collected.

Bunnie was a great actress. Her first role as “Miss Merry Christmas” in a Clinton High School play sparked her passion for acting. She performed in local plays with the Panhandle Players. She could play the lead with aplomb or take a small part and make it come alive. “She was funny, loving and congenial,” noted her director in Sister Creatures, Judy Loftus. “I loved working with Bunnie.” For her part in “Twelve Incompetent Jurors,” Bunnie was asked to play an Italian juror. Judy instructed her to watch The Sopranos nightly to help her play her roll. “She pulled off the part without a hint of a southern accent.” No small feat for a girl born and raised in the south. Her frequent costar, David Adlerstein said, “There’s no one I more preferred to be on stage with.” Bunnie was selected to play a lead roll in last fall’s “ Trailer Park” but it was not to be. The curtain has gone down on this lovely, accomplished actress but her sweet smile and kindness to all will remain in our hearts forever.

If you were blessed to have known Bunnie, you would know how well she lived and how much she was loved. We lost a shinning star when Franklin County and the world lost Bunnie.

Bunnie is survived by her husband David Lynn Ison, sons Christopher David Ison (Mollie) and Matthew Wallace Ison, MD (Stephanie), daughter Carrie Ison Hartmann (Alex) and six grandchildren (Liam, Finn, and Oliver Ison, Lucy Ison, Sam and Nate Hartmann), sister Ann Brown Thomason (Fred), three nieces and two nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents and brother William Baxter Brown.

Donations may be made in Bunnie’s honor to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, Back Pack Buddies, or to Give a Book Franklin (Forgotten Coast).

In closing, her husband, soul mate, and partner forever added this message.

“The Angel of my life loved the beach and the water. She felt drawn to it as if she was a part of the waves and the sand. Over the course of knowing this Angel, I never gave a card for special occasions like birthdays or anniversaries, etc. Bunnie inspired me every day. Ergo, I wrote her from my heart. The following is a word picture encompassing our life and that she is a part of the sea.”

Meant To Be
Mile after mile, I walked along the beach.
Weary & bewildered, I needed to stop & rest,
But I pressed on as though involved in a test.
Looking ahead & through blurry sight,
the loveliest of visions did suddenly appear.
Crested upon a wave which did not move,
an Angel sat; She drew me near.
As night fell and the tide neared,
She stood upon the wave, smiled, & wished me well.
My heart raced faster as she disappeared.
The sun rose and set; the waves rolled in & out to sea.
Returning home late one day, again, a vision I did see,
not on the waves but directly in front of me.
Placing my hand in hers, we strolled along.
The waves & the wind hummed a heavenly song.
Then, a voice I heard, which came from the sea,
“This is how it is meant to be”.