Barbara Jean (Green) Coates, 88, of Walpole, died unexpectedly on Friday, February 20, 2015 at her home. She was the beloved wife of Kenneth S. Coates who died in 2001.
Born in Boston on July 25, 1926, she was a daughter of the late Robert W. and Florence E. (McCarthy) Green.
Mrs. Coates was a resident of Randolph until moving to Walpole in 1950. She graduated from Randolph High School and later in life, earned a paralegal certificate.
Her primary occupation was as a mother and homemaker and was proud of her Irish heritage. She and her late husband took many trips to Ireland to research her family history. She worked at a munitions factory during WWII and was a temporary employee at the Wrentham Court House.
Environmentally, politically and civically minded, Mrs. Coates served as a Walpole Town Meeting Representative for many years and was an active member of the Walpole Council on Aging. A devout catholic, she was a communicant of St. Jude Church in Norfolk and St. Mary Church in Hillsborough, NH.
She is survived by two sons, Michael Coates of Plainville and Daniel Coates of Long Pond, Penn., a daughter Jeannette Thomas of North Attleboro, twelve grandchildren, twenty-one great-grandchildren and two sisters, Florence Burkett and Marjorie Dickson, both of Norwood.
She was predeceased by three sons, Patrick, Kevin and Dennis Coates and six siblings.
Relatives and friends are invited to attend her funeral from the Ginley Funeral Home, 892 Main St. in Walpole (www.ginleyfuneralhomes.com) on Thursday, February 26 at 9:00 a.m. followed by a funeral Mass at St. Jude Church, 86 Main St. in Norfolk at 10 a.m.
Burial will follow at Knollwood Memorial Park in Canton.
Calling hours will be held on Wednesday from 4 - 8 p.m.
In lieu of flowers, expressions of sympathy may be made in her memory to the Susan G. Komen Foundation (to support Norfolk Auto’s Fundraising Efforts), P. O. Box 650309 Dallas, TX 75265-0309.