On July 10, 1951 this world received an angel. On January 7, 2025 that angel got her wings and we got an angelic star in the Heavens. Barbara Ann Coutant went home to be with her heavenly Father and passed family. Barbara passed at St. Joseph Hospital in Eureka surround her husband, Bill; son Jon Hughes (Kelly); daughter Heather (Richard); grandson Chris (Mercedez); granddaughters Jessica and Jordynn; daughter Nora; Bill’s sister Tami Shaw; nephew Joshua Shaw.

Barbara was the first born of James and Nancy Ross in Fairfield. Barbara grew up in many places because her father was a civil engineer for a large construction company. His work took the family all over the country. Barbara graduated from Carlisle High School in Pennsylvania in 1969. She moved to Long Beach to go to college. She married her first husband and moved to Iowa. They had two children Jon and Heather Hughes. They divorced after heather was born. Barbara, Jon and Heather moved to Virginia for work. When the work did not work out she sent Jon and Heather to live with her ex-husband and moved to Sterling City to help her aunt take care of her grandmother. Her grandmother got better and Barbara moved to Napa looking for work and lived with her aunt Lola and Garry Ross.

While in Napa, Barbara met Bill Coutant, He became the love of her life. They marred on June 29, 1985 and spent 39½ wonderful years together. In 1998 they moved to McKinleyville. That year she was diagnosed with cancer. She had several surgeries, radiation and chemotherapy. She beat the cancer. But the radiation damage was not diagnosed until years later. In 2020 she was diagnosed with end stage renal disease causing her to start dialyses.

Barb was a survivor, and started home hemodialyses, with Bill as her caregiver. They were able to travel with this system. We went camping, flew to Denver, Texas, Nashville and Claremore. Barb loved life and family. She was known to many as Aunt Barb. She loved to sewing, tole painting and many more hobbies.

Barb loved to cook. Barb was the first one to volunteer to cook incredible meals to feed an army. Why cook for two when she could cook for 10 or 20? When Lauren, her niece, got married she was up making gallons of gravy and biscuits for a hungry crowd for breakfast at Larry and Mel’s house. When she and Bill would come for Thanksgiving Barb always had a special dish to make. That is where we learned to like Brussels sprouts!

In 1964, Barb transition made the seamless from favorite babysitter to big sister of Penny (Howard) and Tim (Ross). As big sister, she helped them over the years make sense of hard decisions needed her. Their parents had to make, provided counsel for life events, and always had room in her heart.

As Aunt Barb to Penny’s two daughters, she made time to do fun things like actually play on the equipment with the girls at the Exploratorium in San Francisco. She made gifts and listened to them as if what they had to say was important (because to them, it was).

It was obvious to all who knew her that Barb had room in her heart for so many, because she only had love in her heart, and with love, there is always room for more people.

Barb, may you now be free of pain in heaven. We love you to the moon and back forever and ever.

In lieu of flowers the family asks that donations be made to the American Cancer Society or Hospice of Humboldt, and please get scanned for cancer.

Services will be held on February 8, 2025 at 11 at the Church of Latter-Day Saints located at 1660 Heartwood Dr., McKinleyville.