Susan Toni Berns was a friend to thousands of Vail Valley kids (obituary)
Susan Toni Berns, 75, of Edwards passed away unexpectedly on Sunday, May 20, 2018 at Vail Health hospital.
Toni was born on July 22, 1942 in New York City to Barrie Belowsky and Michael Berns. Toni was the oldest of three children. She is survived by her brother Peter Berns, nephews Mathew Berns and Robert Berns, and niece Sabrina Kestell (Joseph) and great nephew James Theodore Kestell.
Toni will be remembered with love and heartfelt fondness by her family and many new and old friends. She will be dearly missed by friends at Vail Resorts and Eagle County Schools. The Moore family of Vail, Linda and son Luke Moore (Blair) of Thornton are some of her oldest and dearest friends.
She was preceded in death by her parents, Barrie and Michael Berns and her brother Michael Berns.
Toni was a generous spirit who demonstrated her good will with a wonderful program in the Vail Valley, beginning in 2009, that benefited many young and developing children. She was the founder and managing director of the Food Rescue Express. She worked in conjunction with the Head Start Program at the elementary schools to provide weekend meals for children with her Kids Backpack Food Program. The program provided over 7,000 meals to approximately 70 students throughout 11 schools in just the most recent school year.
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Food Rescue Express was a partner with the Epic Promise Program of Vail Resorts. With Toni, volunteers including Rebecca McDonnell, Director of Product Sales and Services, packed the backpacks in preparation for the deliveries at week’s end. Volunteers from the Vail Ski Patrol delivered the backpacks to the respective schools.
Toni also worked with Eagle County Schools at Homestake Peak Expeditionary School and enjoyed her interaction with the children and staff in the cafeteria. She was employed by the school district as the cafeteria manager at Avon Elementary in 2007 and worked part-time since 2009 at several different schools.
Toni had a love for the mountains and made this valley and its communities her home for over 44 years.
A celebration of life will be held at the Battle Mountain High School Cafeteria on Tuesday, June 5, 2018 at 4 p.m. Please join us to celebrate Toni’s life.
A formal burial will be held at a later date in New York.
