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NEW CANAAN, Conn. – Barbara Ann Coughlin, 87, of New Canaan, formerly of Stamford, died Sunday, March 29, at Norwalk Hospital.
She was born in Evanston, Ill., July 23, 1927, to John E. Blunt III and Barbara Thorp Blunt.
She was married to Dr. Frank R. Coughlin, Jr., who died in 2014.
She graduated from New Trier High School and attended Warwick Woods Camp in Wisconsin where she learned to sail – a love she had her entire life. She also encouraged her husband and children to learn to sail.
She graduated from Vassar College in Poughkeepsie, N,Y., with a degree in chemistry and attended Yale Medical School for three years, working briefly in research for Dr. Janet Travell, president John F. Kennedy's pain management specialist.
She loved reading, nature, music, babies, birds, cats and dogs, playing cards with and reading to her grandchildren, watching Wimbledon, drinking tea, making cream cheese and olive sandwiches, as well as memorable soups.
Most recently, she resided at "The Village" at Waveny Care Center for two years.
Survivors include her eight children: Hilary Coughlin Loftus of Westbrook, Conn.; Mary Jackson and her husband, Charles, of Southbury, Conn.; Patricia Papale and her husband, P.J., of Norwalk; Christopher F. and his wife, Nanan Joehana-Coughlin, of Boston; Geoffrey B. Coughlin of Stamford; Daniel T. Coughlin and his wife, Natasha, of New Canaan; Isabel Coughlin and her husband, Rocco Alianiello of Westport; David C. Coughlin and his wife, Melissa, of Darien; 12 grandchildren; a sister of Wayzata, Minnesota; a sister, Estelle Blunt King, of Wayzata, Minnesota and a brother and sister-in-law, John T. Blunt and Susan Fencl, of Village of Golf, Fla., and surrogate sister/cousin: Mary T. Dailey of Sheridan, Wyoming
A memorial Mass was celebrated Wednesday at St. Matthew's Church, 216 Scribner Ave., Norwalk. Interment will take place at St. Raymond’s Cemetery, in the Bronx.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Waveny Life Care Network/"The Village" at 3 Farm Road, New Canaan, CT 06840.
For online condolences and directions, visit the Hoyt Funeral Home here.
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