Mrs. Borbala Klara Bunnett

Borbála Klára (Gergely) Bunnett of Southlake, Texas peacefully passed away on August 10th, 2023, at the age of 47, after valiantly fighting pancreatic cancer and its effects. She was born March 20th, 1976, in Budapest, Hungary, to László Gergely (pronounced Gare-Gaye) and Veronika Marton—later becoming a big sister to her brother, Bálint.

Following Daycare and Kindergarten at an old villa in the hills of Buda, her father was assigned to the Hungarian Trade Mission in Moscow. After starting at the Hungarian Expatriate School, she transferred to the No. 104 Moscow Elementary School of the Soviet school system where she continued evening classes at the Hungarian Expatriate School. It was here, at the age of 6, that she started showing a trademark of her life—handling multiple cultures, languages, responsibilities, and assignments simultaneously. She was given the opportunity of her life in the 2nd Grade in the USSR system of compulsory after-school: chess, choir, or ballroom dance—Borbála chose dance, launching her life-long pursuit of dance exploration and excellence.

After a 5-year expatriate life in the Soviet Union, Borbála returned to Hungary. Thanks to her hard work in 2 school systems simultaneously, she was able to join the local Arató Emil Hungarian school without missing a year—with full language and academic proficiency. She continued her dance training at Bonzo’s dance school—he remains her lifelong close friend among the many lifelong friends she has made in the dance community.

Borbála experienced the fall of the Iron Curtain, the Eastern European Revolutions, the declaration of the Hungarian Republic, and the Opening-to-the-West as a 13-year-old living daily life in the middle of these cataclysmic political changes—as have so many. Her experience of empty store shelves, little/no consumer choice, and official storylines inconsistent with reality and what-she-observed shaped her life—she saw clearly.

At age 14 (1990), Borbála was admitted into the highly selective Berzsenyi Dániel High School based on her academic grades, where she started studying English. For the next 2 years in Hungary, she prioritized her focus on ballroom dance practice with frequent competitions across Hungary. She and her family enjoyed their 1st trip to the West (Italy and Austria)—unimaginable before the system change.

At age 16, she enjoyed excellent results in her 3rd country, culture, and school system—continuing High School at the Sacred Heart International School in Tokyo, joining the highly demanding International Baccalaureate (IB) program when her father was assigned to the Hungarian Embassy in Tokyo. Here, she continued her dance development in Japan with dance partner, Hiro, collecting trophies at many competitions, while catering Embassy Receptions and Dinners at the Hungarian Embassy of Tokyo. Borbála graduated from High School in 1994 with top grades in both High School and the International Baccalaureate (IB) Diploma Exams. From 1994-1995 she enjoyed her 1st full-time employment as a daycare teacher at the Sacred Heart International School in Tokyo—teachers and kids bonding with, and loving, Miss Borbála.

Borbála enjoyed excellent results in her 4th new country, culture, and school system at age 19 when she became a Freshman at the University of Wales in Cardiff, Wales, United Kingdom in 1995. Returning to Tokyo after her 1st year to work full-time to earn enough money to continue college, she applied and was admitted on a full scholarship to Bryn Mawr in Pennsylvania, one of the Seven Sister colleges, a group of historically women's colleges in the United States.

Borbála enjoyed excellent results in her 5th new country, culture, and school system needing only two years at Bryn Mawr thanks to academic credits from her International Baccalaureate Diploma during High School plus her year at the University of Wales. While at Bryn Mawr, Borbála worked summer internships at Deloitte & Touche. She graduated from Bryn Mawr in 1999 with a BA in Economics (following in the footsteps of her father) and started full-time work at Deloitte & Touche in a consulting career that would last the rest of her life.

Borbála enjoyed a variety of roles at Deloitte, including travel to China, India, and the UK. She led the 140+ person Client Relationship Executive (CRE) community as CRE Chief of Staff; was a founding member, then became a leader of the 150+ person Client Account Management (CAM) community; and eventually moved to Texas for her dream role in Deloitte University’s Texas Greenhouse Labs facilitating the world’s largest companies finding solutions to their intractable problems. Borbála is loved by so many. This quote from Bryan Funkhouser, a leader at Deloitte, expresses it best: “She was talented and hardworking, yes, but I think most of us would highlight her positive energy, sincere thoughtfulness, and deeply caring compassion. She was love, light, and joy all wrapped up in an effervescent personality! When I would see her on my Outlook Calendar, I could only smile”.

On a whim, she met Robert Bunnett at the Holiday Ball & Dance Camp in San Francisco between Christmas 2002 and New Years Day 2003 while applying to the University of Chicago and the London Business School for Graduate School. She was living in Philadelphia PA, and he was living in Newport Beach CA. What followed is best summarized by Jonathan Marion in his book Ballroom - Culture and Costume in Competitive Dance “Seeing each other nearly every weekend at competitions across the United States, Robert and Borbala ‘dated’ from 3,000 miles apart until they became engaged”. Borbála moved to California and applied to UCLA’s Anderson School of Business—where she was accepted AFTER enrollment was full and closed. She drove 100 miles a day to her classes to be able to be with Bob in Orange County CA, and often spent the commute on phone calls with her beloved grandmother, Mamus. Borbála and Robert won many Amateur Championships and were finalists in the United States Amateur Championships in both Smooth and 9-Dance.

Borbála shared her love for dance with her love Bob for many years, turning Pro at his suggestion in 2007. She competed Professionally with Paul Cloud and later David Weise. Borbála would often practice until midnight after a workday at Deloitte. This commitment, a signature of her approach to life, would eventually pay off by achieving their greatest accomplishment of winning the American Smooth World Rising Star title in 2009.

Borbála married Robert at Rancho Las Lomas in Silverado Canyon, Orange County, California in 2005. While traveling extensively, dancing competitively, and creating significant impact for their clients, they enjoyed a wonderful family life living in Newport Beach, Redwood City, and Irvine California—with Borbála finding her heart’s home in Southlake, Texas—after living around the world. Borbála became a happy member of the Bunnett family, hosting and attending many family events and building special life-long bonds with her mother-in-law Florence, sister-in-law Tami, and Aunt Thekla, among others. She and Bob created memories of a lifetime through their many travels; living on the coast and in the hills of California surrounded by magnificent views; and enjoying many events. Borbála's most enduring legacy are her amazing children. Borbála is survived by her husband, Robert Ernst Bunnett; daughter, Sophia Ilona Bunnett, and son, Benjamin Robert Bunnett; parents László Gergely and Veronika Marton; and brother Bálint Gergely.

Borbála will be remembered by many as a person of great intellect, unbounded generosity, steadfast determination, and perseverance in any situation, always extending a helping hand or offering a gesture of care of those around her, resilience and endurance in her commitments, and unwavering optimism in being able to conquer life’s challenges. She is greatly missed by the many people who loved her and whose lives she touched.

Borbala's Celebration of Life will be held at The Marq Southlake on October 25, 2023 at 11am. Please RSVP at https://borbalacelebrationoflife.rsvpify.com/ and check there for more information.