Barbara A. Gauthier

Hampton - The light dimmed on September 26th, 2024, when Barbara Armstrong Gauthier, 84, passed away after a short illness. Barbara was grateful to be at Tidewatch, the family home she so loved, at Plaice Cove in Hampton, New Hampshire, and to be in the presence of loving family. She was a former longtime resident of Monterey, Massachusetts. Barbara was born on March 31, 1940, in Greenfield, Massachusetts. She attended Greenfield High School where she met the love of her life, Robert Gauthier. He was her prom date, and the rest is history. Bob and Barbara married and shared 50 years together before Bob passed away in 2010. In the mid 1960s, Bob and Barbara moved to Monterey, where they raised their four children, Pam, Jim, David, and Jeff. There were summer days at Lake Garfield and summer evenings punctuated by the sounds of the neighborhood children playing kick the can in their yard. During the winters, Bob and Barbara loved watching the kids sledding or building forts from their kitchen window while they enjoyed some holiday baking together. It was a true collaboration as Bob made the crust and Barbara made the filling. The Gauthiers simply embraced their life in Monterey. When Stefan and Stephanie Grotz moved in next door to them, a fast friendship formed between the families, with the kids flowing freely through a hole in the fence that linked their backyards. Barbara and Stephanie enjoyed daily coffee chats as the kids grew up and supported one another through many ups and downs for over 50 years. Their kids still reminisce with laughter about those chats and about their “road trips” together to stock up on day-old bread at the Hostess store. Many of these trips also included a stop at T. J. Maxx to dig through the bins for bargain underwear. The kids were surprised to later learn that “irregular” was not a brand. Summers also included an annual trip to the ocean for the Gauthier family. They would pile into a tiny cottage in York, Maine, delighting in their days at the beach. Barbara’s love of Maine lobster was well known, and Bob would hustle the kids out for ice cream at the end of this special meal so Barbara could be left alone to savor every last bite. The love of the ocean never faded for Barbara, and a favorite pastime was searching the beach for sea glass. At her request, her 70th birthday was a family beach combing trip. When Pam’s sons, Henri and Jack, were born, Barbara excitedly became “Nana”. She celebrated their first steps, their sporting events, and each and every one of their milestones. She celebrated everything about them. “Would you like an ice cream cone?” she would ask. “Oh wait, how about one for each hand?” she would add with a laugh. It was mutual adoration. Henri and Jack began referring to her as “The Defender” as she reminded Pam that mischief making was also a learning opportunity, many times softening the disciplinary outcome. She was thrilled to celebrate Henri’s latest milestone, his engagement to longtime girlfriend, Riana, now a loved member of the family. Monterey is a place that Barbara always and forever held close to her heart. She worked at the Monterey General Store during its heyday. She served as Monterey’s Town Treasurer and later as the Town Accountant. She was a true presence in Monterey life and loved the community. It’s where she spread roots, where she tended to her beloved perennial gardens, where she loved celebrating holidays with family and friends and, most importantly, where she nurtured lifetime friendships and raised her four children with her life partner, Bob. It is no surprise that Barbara quickly became part of the community fabric at Plaice Cove where she lived for the past several years. She greeted countless neighbors from her beloved screened in porch, delighted in visits with family and friends, and treasured weekly lunches with neighbors. Her bright and resonant laugh was distinct and brought a smile to all. Barbara had a common-sense brilliance, delivering rational advice to those who asked. More than just a friend to her children’s friends, they saw her as a second mother. She was embracing, tolerant, and accepting. Jim’s friends would intone, “Sorry, Barbara” if there was lewd or explicit talk in her presence, and she would roll her eyes, chuckle, and note, “They’re not sorry.” Thank you, Barbara, for your warmth, your kindness, and your humor; as your friends often said, you were a national treasure. In her memory, please be kind. Countless friends and family will miss Barbara tremendously. She is survived by her four children and grandchildren. Open house celebrations of Barbara’s life will be held at Tidewatch (43 Ancient Highway, Plaice Cove, Hampton, NH) on Friday, November 1, from 6pm-9pm and Saturday, November 2, from 1pm-5pm as well as on Saturday, November 16, from 1pm-5pm at the Grotz home (518 Main Road, Monterey, MA). In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Bob and Barbara Gauthier Memorial Scholarship. Checks should be made out to “The Bob and Barbara Gauthier Memorial Scholarship” and mailed to Aurigan Scholarship Fund, Dawn Estes-Daub, Mount Everett Regional School, 491 Berkshire School Road, Sheffield, MA, 01257.

Barbara A. Gauthier

March 31, 1940 - September 26, 2024