COBURN, Jane Marie (Murphy), 91, of Weston and Onset, passed away peacefully on June 1, 2021 surrounded by her family. Beloved wife of the late Captain Harold W. “Chub” Coburn for 63 years. Devoted mother of Denise Hixon and her husband, Charles of Hopkinton, Lisa Van Dusen and her husband, Barry of Princeton, Jayne Allison and her late husband, Keith of Onset, Anne Haarmann and her late husband Cornelius of Wyckoff, NJ, and Caroline Cooney and her husband Jack of Mansfield. Grandmother to Landry, Cornelia, James, Daniel, John, Christine, Patricia, and Meghan, she had 6 great-grandchildren and many nieces, nephews and cousins. Sister-in-law of Thomas E. Coburn. She was predeceased by her two beloved brothers, William and John Murphy.
Jane, the daughter of William and Mary (Mahaney) Murphy, was born and raised in Framingham. A member of the Framingham High School Class of 1947, she went on to graduate from Emmanuel College with a B.A. in English Literature in 1951. She taught elementary grades and later became a substitute teacher in the Framingham School System. An avid reader, she nurtured a love for reading in her children, grandchildren, and students, and spent many enjoyable hours at the public library and the Unicorn Bookshop in downtown Framingham. She was a member of the St. Stephen’s Catholic Women’s Club and volunteered at the Danforth Museum. A longtime volunteer for the Framingham Union Aid Association of Metrowest Medical Center, Jane was a past president (1987-1989, 1991, 2003-2004) and vice-president, managed the Sunshine Healthcare fund for several years and served on several committees. A lover of all animals big and small - especially cats - she cherished Phantom, her Norwegian Forest cat. Jane moved to Weston with her husband in 1985 to renovate the Coburn family farmhouse and spent many happy years there. With her husband, she started Cat Rock Farm Antiques which she managed for several years. She loved her summers in Onset with extended family and friends, skiing with friends in the White Mountains of New Hampshire, golfing, and thoroughbred horse racing at Suffolk Downs and Saratoga, NY. Jane will be remembered for her sincerity, wit and kindness and will be greatly missed by her family and friends.
Visiting hours at the George F. Doherty & Sons Funeral Home, 477 Washington St., (Rt.16) WELLESLEY on Thursday, July 22 from 4:00-7:00pm. A Funeral Mass will be held in St. Julia’s Church, Weston on Friday, July 23 at 11:00am. Relatives and friends kindly invited. Interment in Linwood Cemetery, Weston.
In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Emmanuel College, 400 The Fenway, Boston, MA 02115. Please write “in memory of Jane Coburn ‘51” in the memo or alumni.emmanuel.edu/home.