WESTON: Barbara Franklin Coburn, 84, of Wellesley and previously a 52-year resident of Weston, died in her sleep on June 24, 2015 following a brief illness. The daughter of the late John and Louise Franklin of Worcester, she attended the Bancroft School and Wellesley College, majoring in Art History. She received a M. Ed. from Boston University.
After raising her children Barbara began teaching as a substitute in the Weston Public Schools before embarking on a 21-year career there teaching second and third grade. Following her retirement, she volunteered as a tutor in Roxbury and served as a Trustee of the Weston Public Library. She served on the Weston Forest and Trails Commission and the Drumlin Farm Sanctuary Committee, among many civic and volunteer activities.
An avid rider and basketball player in her youth, Barbara enjoyed tennis and paddle tennis, and outdoor activities including mountain climbing, camping and canoe trips with her family, birdwatching, and nature hikes. She was active in many communities and supported civic, cultural, and social action organizations in greater Boston and beyond. Barbara’s interests included painting, reading, conservation, music, and theater. Most of all she loved following the interests and activities of her many friends and relatives.
She was predeceased by her husband Frederick Rhodes Coburn, a daughter Elizabeth Chapman Coburn, her sister Joan Franklin Prensner and her brother Richard Cable Franklin. She is survived by: her sister and brother-in-law Janet and Howard Amidon; five children, Jay and his wife Gina, Dirk and his wife Jeanine, Martha and her husband Bob Carlson, Ed and his wife Sandy, and Rob and his husband Averitt Buttry; twelve grandchildren whom she adored, Ben, Chris, A.J., and Eddie, and their father Geoff Blum, Liza, Ali, Aimee, Gwen, Alex, Fred, Sara, and Liam; her brother-in-law Larry Coburn and his wife Gabriella, her sister-in-law Ann Coburn, and her former daughter-in-law, Karen Fine Coburn; and many beloved nieces and nephews.
A memorial service will be held on Saturday, July 11th at 10 a.m. at the First Parish Church, 349 Boston Post Road, Weston, where Barbara was a member and an active volunteer for more than 50 years.
Contributions in her memory may be made to the Roxbury Youth Program’s tutoring and enrichment program at: UUUM-RYP, 10 Putnam Street, Boston, MA 02119.