Barbara J. (Jason) Hunter

Barbara J. (Jason) Hunter, 85, passed away on May 27, 2020 from complications of the coronavirus.  Barbara was born on December 31, 1934 to Artena C. and Joseph C. Jason.  Barbara is survived by her four children; Susan Erickson of Maynard, Marjorie Hunter and her husband Dan Nattress of Hudson, Tom Hunter and his wife Ann of Hudson, and David Hunter and his wife Deb of Upton.  Known as Nina, she is also survived by her ten grandchildren:  Christopher and Benjamin Erickson, Jason Morris, Zoe and Jacob Nattress, TJ and Jeffrey Hunter and Nicole, Zachary, and Lauren Hunter.  She also leaves four nieces and nephews, Chrissie O’Brien, Kim Scott and Geoffrey and Peter Capraro, her son-in-law Robert Yates,  and her two dear and loyal  friends, Alda Parker and Mary Kadlik.

Barbara was predeceased by her husband of sixty years, Ples E. Hunter; her daughter Jennifer Hunter Yates; and her two sisters, Patricia O’Brien and Elizabeth Capraro.

When her children were young, Barbara waitressed at White’s Corner in Southborough so that she could be home during the day with her growing family.  Early in her working career before having children, she worked in the steel industry and when her children were older, she returned to the steel industry, working at Standard Tubes Sales in Marlborough, where she was the indoor sales manager. After retiring, she worked at what is now Citizens Bank until 2004.

Giving back to others was always important to Barbara.  When her children were younger, she served as a Girl Scout Leader.  After her children were grown, she participated in numerous Project Bread walkathons, walking the 20 miles with ease.  After her daughter Jennifer’s death, she was an active member of the Jennifer Hunter Yates Sarcoma Foundation, which in 11 years, donated 1.1 million dollars to Massachusetts General Hospital’s Sarcoma doctors, to help other families who were battling sarcoma.

Barbara enjoyed being in the company of her friends, reading, listening to music, traveling with Ples to numerous locations on the ocean, dining out at good restaurants, doing trips to the city, keeping up with current events, and shopping.  But what she truly enjoyed the most was being with her family.  Her family fondly remembers Sunday night dinners at 92, vacations at a lake house, and the holidays at her childrens’ homes.  Barbara leaves quite a legacy with being the grandmother of ten, and each of them will miss her immensely.

Services and a gathering to celebrate Barbara’s life will be held at a later time when family and friends can come together safely and happily to remember this brave woman.  Donations in Barbara’s memory can be made to the Coleman House Activity Fund, 112 West Main Street, Northborough MA 01532.