Barbara Jane (Sherman) Coyle

Barbara Jane (Sherman) Coyle Barbara Jane (Sherman) Coyle, 90 of 1978 Chestnut Hill Avenue, Athol died Tuesday, January 6, 2015 at Athol Memorial Hospital following a lengthy illness.      Barbara Coyle was born in Waltham November 7, 1924 the daughter of Milton Francis Sherman and Laura Virginia (Brown) Sherman.  She grew up in Weston and graduated from Weston High School in 1943.  Mrs. Coyle received a Bachelor’s degree in Science from Simmons College.  While she was in college during World War II she worked several summers for Raytheon engaged in war work and worked one summer as a waitress at the Poland Spring Hotel in Maine.  Following graduation from college she worked in clerical jobs at the Harvard Medical School, Boston University and as a librarian at the Brookline Public Library.  She later worked for a time in the Superintendent’s office of the Athol school system.      On January 27, 1953, she married Robert (Bob) Banks Coyle, Jr. of Dorchester and together they celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in 2013.  Following a move to Athol in 1956 she and her husband lived in Meadville, Pennsylvania for 4 years while her husband served as a faculty member on the Geology Department at Allegheny College and Barbara was active in the Faculty Women’s Group. Barbara always enjoyed the outdoors.  While growing up she enjoyed exploring the woods near her home in Weston and loved visits to her grandfather’s farm in East Coldenham, NY.  For many years Mrs. Coyle and her family summered in Mayfield, Maine in a primitive log cabin on Kingsbury Pond where the family enjoyed closeness with nature.  She was active in the Athol Bird and Nature Club (ABNC) in from its inception in 1963 and served as a director for a number of years.        Along with her husband and son, Barbara enjoyed researching the family’s genealogy.  Several of her ancestors had stood their ground on Lexington Green April 19, 1775 when “the shot heard ‘round the world” was fired at which time the rebellious farmers and fellow countrymen faced off against the British regulars for the first time.        She and her husband also enjoyed vacations at Star Island in the Isle of Shoals as well as numerous Elderhostel trips, two of which included significant visits to the British Isles.  Along with her son and husband she worked in the late 1970s and early 1980s as a volunteer at the Sandy River Railroad Park in Phillips, Maine where she served in many capacities including ticket agent, cook and interpretive historical guide.      Mrs. Coyle was very knowledgeable and interested in the history of the Shaker sect and had visited many former Shaker villages and was an active member of Friends of the (Sabbathday Lake, ME) Shakers.  She was a long-time member of First Church, Unitarian of Athol and had been a Sunday School teacher at the church in the 1960s.  While growing up she attended the First Parish, Unitarian of Weston, MA.  She had also attended the Meadville, PA Unitarian Church.      She leaves one son Christopher A. Coyle of Athol and his wife Amanda E.E. Taylor.  Besides her parents she was predeceased by her husband, Robert and a sister, Eudora Mary Sherman.  She may also leave another sister, Martha Ann Sherman of Washington D.C.  Barbara leaves a very special 5-year old of whom she was very fond, Miss Daphne Gregoire.      There are no calling hours.   A memorial service will be held Saturday, February 28, 2015 at 1:00 p.m. at Higgins-O'Connor Funeral Home, 146 Main St., Athol, MA with the Rev. Marilyn Richards, pastor of the First Church Unitarian officiating   Those wishing to do so may make a donation to the Athol Bird and Nature Club, 100 Main St., Athol, MA 01331 or to another charity of one’s choice. For further information or to share a memory with the family go to: www.higginsoconnorfuneralhome.com $(document).ready(function(){ });