Barbara May Coon

Barbara May (Ornberg) Hutchins-Coon, 90, of Pawcatuck, CT passed away after a brief illness on Wednesday, June 8, 2022 at The Westerly Hospital. She was the loving wife of George R. Coon and previously to the late Robert Hutchins. Born in Westerly, RI on March 22, 1933, she was the daughter of the late William and Bertha (Pendleton) Ornberg.

Barbara grew up with her parents on Ninigret Drive near the Quonnie Life Saving Station. In 1938 at the age of 5, a massive hurricane struck trapping her family on the dunes in Quonnie forcing them to cling to the brush while their home floated away. By a miracle, they survived and moved to Old Woody Hill Rd in Dunn’s Corner. Barbara shared her life there with her family and graduated from Westerly High School in 1951.

A few years after graduating, she met and married her husband Robert Hutchins in 1954. Together they enjoyed cooking and selling her breads, cookies, pies and cakes. She did some catering for events like weddings and birthday parties with her specialty of frosting cake flowers. Her hobbies evolved into crafts such as making and selling quilts out of her home. She continued this through her Teddy Bear Ministry at the First Baptist Church of Quonochontaug where she crocheted bears for those in need. Her crocheting continued in items for the Watch Hill Nursing Home, baby items for the RI Hospital along with chemo hats for patients of a local physician and hats for schools. She even went the extra mile to use any left-over yarn for Kitty Blankets for the Westerly Animal Rescue. She was active in her faith and church serving as a deacon and singing in the choir and when she had a little free time, she would read. After years in Quonnie, they retired to Florida in 1994. Unfortunately, Robert passed in 1999 and Barbara came back to RI.

Another chapter in her life began when she met and married George Coon in 2000 and they settled in Pawcatuck, CT. George and Barbara enjoyed traveling for car shows and showing off his 1937 Ford Coupe. They also spent time going camping and above all else, tried to live their life to the fullest with Barbara’s creed being “A merry heart doeth well”. A true statement and testament to her life that got her through many bumps in the road.

Most importantly, she loved her family. She leaves her husband and companion of 23 years George; 3 step-children Cheryl Gagnon, Tom Coon and Kelly Coon-Lloyd; granddaughters Hannah Oakland and Jennifer and husband Joel; 3 great-grandchildren along with a niece and cousins. She was preceded in death by her children Donna and Stephen along with a sister Brenda and brothers Robert and William.

A celebration of her life will be held at a later date.

For online condolences, please visit www.buckler-johnston.com