Bernard Fontana papers

Bernard (Bunny) Lee Fontana was a prominent anthropologist based out of the University of Arizona. He participated in many activities around Sonora and southern Arizona and was also a prolific author who preferred to be known as Bunny.

Bunny Fontana was born January 7, 1931 in Oakland, California. He attended the University of California at Berkeley where he earned his B.A. in Anthropology in 1953. He married his high school sweetheart, Hazel Ann McFeely, on June 27, 1954. From 1953-1955 Bunny served in the United States Army where he was briefly stationed in Alaska. Upon discharge from the military he attended the University of Arizona where he earned his Ph.D. in anthropology in 1960. Bunny and Hazel started their family in 1962 with the birth of son Geoffrey. Nicholas followed in 1965, and Francesca arrived in 1968.

Bunny held the positions of field historian in the University of Arizona Library, ethnologist in the Arizona State Museum, and lecturer in the Department of Anthropology. He was very active professionally and wrote many articles, books, and other literary contributions. He was also an editor, active community member, lecturer and private consultant.

Among his contributions are the books: ; ; . Bunny Fontana was very involved in Tohono O’odham affairs as he and his wife lived extremely close to the Tohono O’odham reservation near the San Xavier del Bac Mission in Tucson, Arizona. Fontana’s main research interest was Southwest ethnohistory, history and ethnology, including the Mexican states of Sonora and Chihuahua. He was a member of Patronato San Xavier which is dedicated to preserving and promoting the Mission of San Xavier del Bac. Bunny’s interest in mission history also aided him in his work as field historian in which he traveled to all areas of Arizona and Sonora and augmented the holdings of the University of Arizona’s Special Collections.

Bunny retired from the University of Arizona in 1992 and Hazel Fontana passed away in February 2009. Bunny Fontana remaines active in organizations and continues attending meetings, conferences, and writing articles and book reviews.