Early in her marriage, June Marlene Bubka worked as a hairdresser, a caterer, and a teller at Sag Harbor Savings Bank, but when she and her husband, Tom, adopted their daughter, Jennifer Ann, in 1978, she "proved that despite excelling at many and various jobs in her life, her true calling was as a mother," her family said.
"She loved entertaining, was a talented home chef, an enthusiastic homemaker, and a devoted supporter of all her daughter's endeavors," they wrote. Mrs. Bubka served as a Girl Scout troop leader, was active in the PTA at her daughter's schools, and cheered loudly for all of her daughter's teams. When her husband coached the East Hampton High School basketball team, Mrs. Bubka "was right there at all the games, supporting the team and making sure little Jenn had a miniature Coach Bubka costume on," her family recalled. "She took her roles as wife and mother seriously and with pride."
Mrs. Bubka died of a heart attack on Sept. 5. She was 77.
Born in Southampton on Oct. 17, 1947, to Harry Mott and the former Nancy Blacha, her early years were spent in Connecticut and New Jersey, but she returned as a child to Springs and Amagansett, where she grew up with her brother, Robert, who was called Buzz, and a large family of aunts, uncles, and cousins.
After the untimely death of her mother, and with her father in the United States merchant marine, she and her brother went to live with Marie and Mark Ryan in Amagansett. Re Re and Poppy, as the Ryans were known, "provided a loving home for them," her family said.
As a child, Mrs. Bubka was active at St. Luke's Episcopal Church in East Hampton and sang in the choir. She graduated from East Hampton High School and went on to receive her cosmetology license from Patchogue Beauty School.
She and Thomas Bubka, then of Sag Harbor, were married on Feb. 17, 1973, and built a house on Whooping Hollow Road in East Hampton. After her marriage, Mrs. Bubka joined St. Andrew Catholic Church in Sag Harbor. Outside of work, for fun during those early years she played the keyboards for an East End band called the Apostles and performed as an accompanist at Guild Hall.
"June was a born and bred Bonacker with deep affection for her hometown and a heart for the sea," her family said. "She loved watching the boats in Sag Harbor, and spent many winters on the family's boats in Florida, with her father, Harry, and her stepmother, Andree Mott. She was an avid bowler who played on local teams for many years, and once attended the Women's International Bowling Conference in New Orleans."
Inspired by their honeymoon in Aruba, she and her husband visited Mexico, Jamaica, and many cities throughout the United States. Mrs. Bubka "always had a camera in her hand, and was an avid gardener who fought valiantly to maintain her gorgeous flowers in the face of East Hampton's deer population."
She is survived by her husband, who lives in East Hampton, a daughter, Jennifer Bubka of Greenlawn, and a grandson, Harry, 8, "the light and love of her life." Her brother died before her.
A funeral was held at St. Luke's Episcopal Church on Monday, and her ashes were interred at Green River Cemetery in Springs.
Her family has suggested donations to Little Flower Children and Family Services, at littleflowerny.org, or the East Hampton Village Ambulance Association, 1 Cedar Street, East Hampton 11937.
