Mary Jean Bastian

Mary Jean “Bunny” Bastian of Coral Gables passed away peacefully on April 23, 2022. She was born April 15, 1927, in Washington, DC, the daughter of Francis and Edna (Kopp) Zugel. After graduating from Immaculate Conception High School in Washington, DC, Bunny worked as a secretary while earning a Bachelor of Arts and a law degree from the George Washington University. It was at GW Law where she met the love of her life, James Bastian. They were married for 45 years when Jim passed away in 2000. Bunny worked for decades for the United States Labor Department in the Solicitor’s Office and the Wage and Hour Division, focusing her work on child labor law. She took a break from full-time work to raise four children, returning to full-time as they entered their teens. When the family moved to Coral Gables in 1984, Bunny worked part-time for the family business, Southern Air Transport. In addition to her parents and Jim, she was predeceased by her brother Francis “Skip” Zugel. She is survived by her two daughters, Raphael Bastian (James Boink, Jr.) and Marquette Arnold (Steve); her two sons, Bartholomew Bastian (Natacha) and Boniface Bastian (Joanna); eight grandchildren, Kateri, Marika, and Holt Boink, Andrew and Joshua Arnold, Christopher and Sean Bastian, and Christian Bastian; and eight nieces and nephews.