“Bands were playing in the streets of New York City on the day Barbara was born. It was an Election Day — November 6, 1922,” her family shared.

On September 25, Barbara died peacefully at her home in Claremont. She was just six weeks shy of her 103rd birthday.

In 1925, her sister Lesley was born, and two years later, their parents, Drs. Harold E. and Mary C. Jones, moved their young family to Berkeley, California. Both parents were psychologists working for the University of California with the Institute of Child Welfare. Her remaining childhood was spent in Berkeley.

Barbara graduated from UC Berkeley in 1944 with a degree in sociology. During her college years she was active in the student YWCA and with the Plymouth House college group at the First Congregational Church Berkeley, where she met Kenneth Coates. They fell in love and were married in 1944. Ken, a sergeant in the Army, was shipped out right after their honeymoon.

She spent a year teaching preschool in the Imperial Valley of California, then returned to Berkeley for the remainder of the war years, working as a secretary with the student YWCA.

Upon his decommissioning, her husband attended seminary and was ordained as a minister in the Congregational Church (United Church of Christ). The couple served churches in Hillsboro, Oregon (1949-1953); El Cerrito, California (1953-1960); Portland, Oregon (1960-1970); Kobe, Japan (1970-1974); and Long Beach, California (1975-1986).

Four children joined the family: daughters Carol (1947) and Lynne (1950), and sons Jim (1951) and David (1953). The couple retired to Pilgrim Place in Claremont in 1986, where they resided and thrived until their respective deaths.

“Barbara’s life reflects service to others and an eager commitment to social justice: equal rights for all, fair treatment for farm workers and opposition to the death penalty,” her family said. She started a food bank in Portland, Oregon, and was active in food banks in Long Beach and Pomona. She was a dedicated recycler (well before it was common practice), served as a docent at California Botanic Garden, and was active with Amnesty International, Church Women United, and Claremont United Church of Christ. She chaired the stamp booth at the annual Pilgrim Place Festival for many years.

“Barbara loved writing,” her family said. “From grade school on, she created stories and poems (a haiku was published in the Courier), journaled for most of her life, wrote letters to friends and family (always sent with an interesting stamp on the envelope), and gathered inspiring quotes from her extensive reading. She enjoyed collecting postage stamps and learning many handicrafts.

“Several months ago she enthralled an audience at Pilgrim Place with the story of her great-grandfather’s Civil War experience and his subsequent 300-mile journey on foot to Johnstown, Pennsylvania to seek work in the mines. Her grandparents were engaged just before the 1889 Johnstown flood. During that disastrous event her grandmother’s house was swept away, though fortunately all her family survived. In Barbara’s last years, she slept under a patchwork quilt made by her grandmother.

“A beloved member of the Pilgrim Place community for 39 years, Barbara was well known for her friendly spirit and is fondly remembered for extending birthday greetings to all.”

She is survived by her children, Carol Pauli (Dave), Lynne (Ralph Krumdieck), Jim (Louise Halsey), and David; grandchildren Katie Pauli (Larry Crabtree), Laura Pauli (Eric Lockard), Emily Ross (Brian), Alice Codieck (Todd Fish), Barrett Codieck, Ben Coates (Vivian), and Julian Feeley (Phoebe); great-grandchildren Maisie Ross, Emma and Juniper Coates, and Josephine and Aesop Feeley; nieces and nephews Jane Alexander (John Flanagan), Peter Alexander (Carrie), Laurel Stevenson (Martin), Robin Kempster (Dave), Holly Coates-Bash (Roger Bash), John Coates (Linda Crebbin-Coates), Sue Jones (Nick), Tom Copeland (Diane), Janet Carney (Tom), and Margaret Copeland.

She was predeceased by her husband Ken in 2011, and her sister Lesley Alexander in 2020.

A memorial service will be held at 3 p.m. Saturday, October 25 at Decker Hall on the Pilgrim Place campus, 655 Avery Rd., Claremont, CA 91711.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Inland Valley Hope Partners at inlandvalleyhopepartners.org, or another food bank near you.