Barbara F. Morin

West Springfield- Barbara Frances (Hambro) Morin, 78, of Canterbury Way passed away Tuesday. Born in Springfield, MA to Hilda A. (DeLoria) Hambro and William I. Hambro. Raised in Chicopee by her mother and “Nana” (Alice DeLoria) and assisted by her mom’s brothers and sisters. She grew up in Chicopee and later lived in Longmeadow and West Springfield. She received her BA in English and Masters in Education at Westfield State University. She was an English Teacher at Southwick Jr. High and High School for over 20 years. She then became licensed to do financial planning for what is now American Express. Following three years there she moved to Mass Mutual in the Retirement Services Division.
Barbara did volunteer work beginning with scouting when her children were in grade school. Later she worked with the Junior Great Books program in Longmeadow schools. She was a lector at St. Mary’s Church for many years and was a lector and eucharistic minister at St. Francis Xavier Cabrini Church and St. Thomas Church in West Springfield. She remained active in the Open Pantry program Loaves and Fishes for both St. Mary’s Church and St. Thomas Church. She was an active volunteer at the West Springfield Senior Center doing fundraising, helping to organize job fairs and bringing the Bridges Intergenerational Program to the West Springfield Public Schools that ran for 5 years at Coburn School and two years at Memorial School. She received the Charles W. Gonnello Citizen of the Year Award for Community Service in 2018 for that work. She served as vice president of the Board of Directors for the Friends of West Springfield and was the representative for Greater Springfield Senior Services and served there as treasurer. She also served on the Board of Trustees for Canterbury Woods.
Her greatest happiness was found in family and friends. She loved to entertain and cook for holidays and host parties. She is survived by her beloved husband of 55+ years, Roger, two devoted children Shelley Mitchell and her husband Sean of Rutland, MA and her son David-Paul and his wife, Dr. Jenna Cacciola of Indianapolis, IN, her loving grandchildren, Laurel, Kaitlyn, Sarah, and Samantha, her sisters-in-law Collette Parsons and Joan Morin and her brother-in-law Raymond Morin, several nieces and nephews and several cousins from the breakfast club. Calling hours will be Monday from 4-6 pm at the TOOMEY-O’BRIEN FUNERAL HOME, 1043 Westfield Street, West Springfield. The funeral will be Tuesday 8:45 am at the funeral home followed by a Funeral Mass at 9:45 am at St. Thomas Church. There will be an 11 am Committal Service at the Massachusetts Veterans’ Memorial Cemetery, 1390 Main Street, Agawam. In lieu of flowers, donations in Barbara’s name may be made to the Parish Cupboard, 738 Main Street, West Springfield, MA 01089, or a charity of one’s choice. For more information, please visit www.toomeyobrien.com .