On Saturday 16 April 2011 Uncle Bunny passed away in hospital in Oban at the grand age of 90. With my Mother and husband we had been to visit him the previous weekend. Though frail he still had his very cheeky sense of humour which all who knew him will never forget.
Uncle Bunny, though actually I was his first cousin, twice removed, married into the Petit family in 1942 when he married Helen Maud Petit one of the grand daughters of Mr Joseph Letiere Petit who set-up Brandauer with Mr C Brandauer after he had bought Ash Petit & Co from him. So, Uncle Bunny was the brother-in-law to the grandchildren who would have known the founding Petit, isn't that an amazing connection? Auntie Nell (as she was known, or Peta) was born in 1900. She met Uncle Bunny whilst helping out with serving food to military personnel as a volunteer and certainly surprised the family by falling in love with someone 20 years her junior.
Uncle Bunny was for many years a non-executive director of Brandauer Holdings when my Father was Chairman. I remember him arriving one hot summer's day for a Board meeting dressed in shorts! Several people currently working at the factory who knew Uncle Bunny have already sent in kind messages that he will be missed, that he was unforgettable and that he had a great sense of humour.
Auntie Nell passed away in 1981 and Uncle Bunny missed her for the remaining 30 years of his life. He did remarry in 1987 but sadly it was not happy and ended in divorce. A little while late he inherited a beautiful cottage on the banks of Loch Awe in Scotland to which he retired. A couple of years ago we went to visit him and he greeted us wearing the McIntyre kilt and a Caribbean shirt, and a Scottish bonnet. Life was always fun with Uncle Bunny!
It is hoped, though not confirmed, that his funeral will be in the historic Scottish Church very near his cottage and possibly a memorial service held down south in due course so his many friends and family will get a chance to pause in their busy schedules and reflect on all Uncle Bunny brought to each of us over the years. With love, Marie-Louise
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Hi Marie-Louise, great blog! I am a Swedish art teacher and calligrapher. I made a small web-page about the Brandauer nibs a couple of years ago. Check out http://hans.presto.tripod.com/nibs/brandauer.html
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Hi, Thank you for your comment. I have often looked at your web pages but thought that you were no longer around. Any info you have or items you wish to sell connected with the Company I would be most interested to hear about. Thanks again, Best wishes Marie-Louise
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