Shirley (Barnes) Coughlin

Shirley (Barnes) Coughlin passed away peacefully on March 3, 2026, with her family at her side. She was born on May 23, 1941, in Barryville, N.Y., the daughter of the late Emmett and Christine (Roberts) Barnes. After graduating from Eldred Central School as the valedictorian of the Class of 1959, Shirley received a bachelor’s degree from SUNY Albany in secondary education before coming to SS Seward Institute as a full-time math teacher in January of 1964. In September of 1964, Thomas Coughlin joined the Seward staff as the “other” math teacher. The two married in the summer of 1966. Shirley left her teaching position in the winter of 1969 when her first daughter, Christine, was born. Tom and Shirley had their second daughter, Maureen, in the fall of 1970. Shirley was the full-time caregiver for Christine who suffered from Epidermolysis Bullosa. After Christine lost her battle with Epidermolysis Bullosa in 1980, Shirley returned to teaching at Seward but this time she was a Special Education Teacher. After returning to the work force, she received her master’s degree in educational technology in 1990 from Long Island University. She retired from teaching in 2001.

Shirley was an active member of the Florida community—having served on the Florida Public Library Board for a total of 23 years; a past member of the Seward Homestead and of the Florida Family Fun Fest Committee; former Secretary of the Village of Florida Planning Board; a current member of the American Legion Auxiliary and the Friends of the Florida Public Library. In recognition of her work in the community, she was named Citizen of the Year at the Florida Family Fun Fest in 2013.

Shirley loved many things—attending flower shows (especially in Philadelphia), antiquing with her sister, collecting snowmen and Belleek, travelling, texting with her friends, playing Wordle (especially if she got the word in 2 plays!), watching the birds that came to her many bird feeders, and when her orchids bloomed. Most of all, Shirley loved any time that she spent with her family, especially during the holidays. She leaves behind her husband of 59-plus years, Tom (Florida, N.Y.); her daughter, Maureen Torelli (Goshen, N.Y.) and her son-in-law, Michael, whom she truly cherished and treated as a son; her brother, Peter Barnes (Barryville, N.Y.); her sister-in-law, Patricia Reynolds (Central Valley, N.Y.); her brother-in-law, William Coughlin (Palm Springs, Calif.), and many cousins, nieces and nephews. She was predeceased by her daughter, Christine, her sister, Dorothy Barnes, and her brothers John and Stephen Barnes.

Visitation will be held on Friday, March 6 from 4-8 p.m. at T.S. Purta Funeral Home, 22 Glenmere Avenue, Florida, NY 10921.

Funeral mass will be held 10:30 a.m., Saturday, March 7, at St. Stephen the First Martyr Church, 75 Sanfordville Road, Warwick, NY 10990.

Donations can be made in her memory to the Florida Public Library, 4 Cohen Circle, Florida, NY 10921 or DEBRA (Dystrophic Epidermolysis Bullosa Research Association), 1560 Central Ave, Suite 433, St. Petersburg, FL 33705.

Funeral arrangements are under the direction of the T.S. Purta Funeral Home.

To send a condolence online, please go to www.purtafuneralhome.com