Harriet Hayes Buckingham, 84, of Natick died unexpectedly Monday January 23, 2012 at the Metro West Medical Center in Natick. She was the beloved wife for 49 years of the late Bruce S Buckingham who died in 2001. Born in Natick and a lifelong resident, she was the daughter of the late Olin and Sarah (Gammon) Hayes. Mrs. Buckingham was an accomplished musician throughout her life playing the piano, organ and singing. She was an active member of the Natick Community; a trustee of the Morse Institute Library in Natick, an active member of the Natick Rotary Club, a trustee of Dell Park Cemetery, a board Member of the Natick Community Farm, a board Member of the First Church of Christ, Scientist, Natick, and a volunteer for the Natick Open Door program. In 2002, Harriet was selected as Natick's Senior Woman of the Year. Harriet was known for her warm, kind, loyal and generous spirit, her smile, her laugh, and her willingness to help anyone in need. She loved the town of Natick, its residents, and the many organizations in which she was involved. She is survived by her nieces and nephews; Laura Hayes Gobron and her husband Charles of Natick, Janet Lindsay Hayes Simon and her husband David of Paradise Valley AZ, William Hayes and his wife Jackie Sanders Hayes of NYC, Richard Lang, John Lang, Donald Lang, Rebecca Lang, all of Alfred NY, sisters-in-law Barbara Hayes of Natick and Jean Lang of Alfred NY, and is also survived by many grandnieces, grandnephews, great-grandnieces, and great-grandnephews. She was the sister of the late Olin Hayes of Natick. Relatives and friends are invited to a Celebration of Harriet's Life on Saturday January 28, 2012 at 11:00 A.M. in the First Congregational Church, 2 East Central St. (Rt. 135) Natick. The Reverend Victoria Alford Guest will officiate. Visiting hours are Friday from 4:00 to 8:00 P.M. in the John Everett and Sons Funeral Home, 4 Park Street, at Natick Common, Natick. Expressions of sympathy may be made in her name to the Morse Institute Library, 14 East Central St. Natick, MA 01760 or to the Natick Community Organic Farm, 117 Elliot St. Natick, MA 01760. For directions and online guestbook to leave messages of condolence or remembrances for Harriet's family please visit www.everettfuneral.com
Published in MetroWest Daily News from January 25 to January 26, 2012
NATICK — Whether through song or a smile, Harriet Hayes Buckingham touched the lives of thousands of people in Natick as a longtime voice and piano teacher and a spirited advocate of community service.
Buckingham died in her home on Monday of heart failure at the age of 84. To the end she was an energetic and fun-loving woman who went out of her way to help other people, family friends and strangers alike.
"She was just so daring," said her niece Janet Lindsay Hayes Simon. "She would just do anything. She was fun, fun, fun."
Buckingham was born in Natick and was a lifelong resident. She grew up on the property that is now the Natick Community Organic Farm where her family served as caretakers for the property. She spent years on the community farm's board of directors, and remembered her farm life fondly. From that experience came a lifelong love of animals.
"She just thought it was an idyllic life," said Laura Gobron, her niece.
She received undergraduate and graduate degrees from the Boston University School of Music, and had a critically-acclaimed career as a soprano.
When she retired from singing professionally she became a piano and voice teacher, connecting young people to music by showing them how to perform.
Cathy Hancox Racine said Buckingham taught both she and her sister Mary piano and voice.
"Any music I produced that somebody else liked, it was because she showed us how to do it right," Racine said. "I always felt like I was singing (well) because Mrs. Buckingham worked very carefully through it with me."
Racine said she also became a lifelong friend, attending family weddings and singing together whenever possible.
"As either a vocal or piano teacher, she could go from being Mrs. B my friend to Mrs. Buckingham my vocal instructor," she said. "She was able to manage that warm, and professional, part of being a vocal teacher and friend."
She was a longtime honorary member of Natick's Rotary; she attended meetings with her late husband Bruce, and became the group's go-to piano player for 50 years.
Despite the Rotary members begging her to become a full member, she always just kept her honorary status. That didn't stop her from becoming an ardent participant in Rotary's service projects; she twice won the Paul Harris Fellowship, Rotary's highest honor.
"She was just a dynamo when it came to energy, and she really exhibited that," said longtime friend Joseph Keefe. "She was a lady of the first order."
She was also a longtime supporter of the Open Door dinner at St. Paul's Church on Thursday nights, making meals and leading the singalong.
She was a longtime trustee of the Morse Institute Library and a trustee of Dell Park Cemetery.
Buckingham never had children; she is survived by her nieces and nephews, Gabron, Simon, and William Hayes and their children.
Relatives and friends are invited to a celebration of Buckingham's life on Saturday Jan. 28, at 11 a.m. in the First Congregational Church on East Central Street in Natick.
Visiting hours are Friday from 4 to 8 p.m. in the John Everett and Sons Funeral Home on Park Street.
Published in MetroWest Daily News from January 25 to January 26, 2012
NATICK — Whether through song or a smile, Harriet Hayes Buckingham touched the lives of thousands of people in Natick as a longtime voice and piano teacher and a spirited advocate of community service.
Buckingham died in her home on Monday of heart failure at the age of 84. To the end she was an energetic and fun-loving woman who went out of her way to help other people, family friends and strangers alike.
"She was just so daring," said her niece Janet Lindsay Hayes Simon. "She would just do anything. She was fun, fun, fun."
Buckingham was born in Natick and was a lifelong resident. She grew up on the property that is now the Natick Community Organic Farm where her family served as caretakers for the property. She spent years on the community farm's board of directors, and remembered her farm life fondly. From that experience came a lifelong love of animals.
"She just thought it was an idyllic life," said Laura Gobron, her niece.
She received undergraduate and graduate degrees from the Boston University School of Music, and had a critically-acclaimed career as a soprano.
When she retired from singing professionally she became a piano and voice teacher, connecting young people to music by showing them how to perform.
Cathy Hancox Racine said Buckingham taught both she and her sister Mary piano and voice.
"Any music I produced that somebody else liked, it was because she showed us how to do it right," Racine said. "I always felt like I was singing (well) because Mrs. Buckingham worked very carefully through it with me."
Racine said she also became a lifelong friend, attending family weddings and singing together whenever possible.
"As either a vocal or piano teacher, she could go from being Mrs. B my friend to Mrs. Buckingham my vocal instructor," she said. "She was able to manage that warm, and professional, part of being a vocal teacher and friend."
She was a longtime honorary member of Natick's Rotary; she attended meetings with her late husband Bruce, and became the group's go-to piano player for 50 years.
Despite the Rotary members begging her to become a full member, she always just kept her honorary status. That didn't stop her from becoming an ardent participant in Rotary's service projects; she twice won the Paul Harris Fellowship, Rotary's highest honor.
"She was just a dynamo when it came to energy, and she really exhibited that," said longtime friend Joseph Keefe. "She was a lady of the first order."
She was also a longtime supporter of the Open Door dinner at St. Paul's Church on Thursday nights, making meals and leading the singalong.
She was a longtime trustee of the Morse Institute Library and a trustee of Dell Park Cemetery.
Buckingham never had children; she is survived by her nieces and nephews, Gabron, Simon, and William Hayes and their children.
Relatives and friends are invited to a celebration of Buckingham's life on Saturday Jan. 28, at 11 a.m. in the First Congregational Church on East Central Street in Natick.
Visiting hours are Friday from 4 to 8 p.m. in the John Everett and Sons Funeral Home on Park Street.
Harriet Hayes Buckingham, 84, of Natick died unexpectedly Monday January 23, 2012 at the Metro West Medical Center in Natick. She was the beloved wife for 49 years of the late Bruce S Buckingham who died in 2001. Born in Natick and a lifelong resident, she was the daughter of the late Olin and Sarah (Gammon) Hayes. Mrs. Buckingham was an accomplished musician throughout her life playing the piano, organ and singing. She was an active member of the Natick Community; a trustee of the Morse Institute Library in Natick, an active member of the Natick Rotary Club, a trustee of Dell Park Cemetery, a board Member of the Natick Community Farm, a board Member of the First Church of Christ, Scientist, Natick, and a volunteer for the Natick Open Door program. In 2002, Harriet was selected as Natick's Senior Woman of the Year. Harriet was known for her warm, kind, loyal and generous spirit, her smile, her laugh, and her willingness to help anyone in need. She loved the town of Natick, its residents, and the many organizations in which she was involved. She is survived by her nieces and nephews; Laura Hayes Gobron and her husband Charles of Natick, Janet Lindsay Hayes Simon and her husband David of Paradise Valley AZ, William Hayes and his wife Jackie Sanders Hayes of NYC, Richard Lang, John Lang, Donald Lang, Rebecca Lang, all of Alfred NY, sisters-in-law Barbara Hayes of Natick and Jean Lang of Alfred NY, and is also survived by many grandnieces, grandnephews, great-grandnieces, and great-grandnephews. She was the sister of the late Olin Hayes of Natick. Relatives and friends are invited to a Celebration of Harriet's Life on Saturday January 28, 2012 at 11:00 A.M. in the First Congregational Church, 2 East Central St. (Rt. 135) Natick. The Reverend Victoria Alford Guest will officiate. Visiting hours are Friday from 4:00 to 8:00 P.M. in the John Everett and Sons Funeral Home, 4 Park Street, at Natick Common, Natick. Expressions of sympathy may be made in her name to the Morse Institute Library, 14 East Central St. Natick, MA 01760 or to the Natick Community Organic Farm, 117 Elliot St. Natick, MA 01760. For directions and online guestbook to leave messages of condolence or remembrances for Harriet's family please visit www.everettfuneral.com
Published in MetroWest Daily News from January 25 to January 26, 2012
NATICK — Whether through song or a smile, Harriet Hayes Buckingham touched the lives of thousands of people in Natick as a longtime voice and piano teacher and a spirited advocate of community service.
Buckingham died in her home on Monday of heart failure at the age of 84. To the end she was an energetic and fun-loving woman who went out of her way to help other people, family friends and strangers alike.
"She was just so daring," said her niece Janet Lindsay Hayes Simon. "She would just do anything. She was fun, fun, fun."
Buckingham was born in Natick and was a lifelong resident. She grew up on the property that is now the Natick Community Organic Farm where her family served as caretakers for the property. She spent years on the community farm's board of directors, and remembered her farm life fondly. From that experience came a lifelong love of animals.
"She just thought it was an idyllic life," said Laura Gobron, her niece.
She received undergraduate and graduate degrees from the Boston University School of Music, and had a critically-acclaimed career as a soprano.
When she retired from singing professionally she became a piano and voice teacher, connecting young people to music by showing them how to perform.
Cathy Hancox Racine said Buckingham taught both she and her sister Mary piano and voice.
"Any music I produced that somebody else liked, it was because she showed us how to do it right," Racine said. "I always felt like I was singing (well) because Mrs. Buckingham worked very carefully through it with me."
Racine said she also became a lifelong friend, attending family weddings and singing together whenever possible.
"As either a vocal or piano teacher, she could go from being Mrs. B my friend to Mrs. Buckingham my vocal instructor," she said. "She was able to manage that warm, and professional, part of being a vocal teacher and friend."
She was a longtime honorary member of Natick's Rotary; she attended meetings with her late husband Bruce, and became the group's go-to piano player for 50 years.
Despite the Rotary members begging her to become a full member, she always just kept her honorary status. That didn't stop her from becoming an ardent participant in Rotary's service projects; she twice won the Paul Harris Fellowship, Rotary's highest honor.
"She was just a dynamo when it came to energy, and she really exhibited that," said longtime friend Joseph Keefe. "She was a lady of the first order."
She was also a longtime supporter of the Open Door dinner at St. Paul's Church on Thursday nights, making meals and leading the singalong.
She was a longtime trustee of the Morse Institute Library and a trustee of Dell Park Cemetery.
Buckingham never had children; she is survived by her nieces and nephews, Gabron, Simon, and William Hayes and their children.
Relatives and friends are invited to a celebration of Buckingham's life on Saturday Jan. 28, at 11 a.m. in the First Congregational Church on East Central Street in Natick.
Visiting hours are Friday from 4 to 8 p.m. in the John Everett and Sons Funeral Home on Park Street.
Published in MetroWest Daily News from January 25 to January 26, 2012
NATICK — Whether through song or a smile, Harriet Hayes Buckingham touched the lives of thousands of people in Natick as a longtime voice and piano teacher and a spirited advocate of community service.
Buckingham died in her home on Monday of heart failure at the age of 84. To the end she was an energetic and fun-loving woman who went out of her way to help other people, family friends and strangers alike.
"She was just so daring," said her niece Janet Lindsay Hayes Simon. "She would just do anything. She was fun, fun, fun."
Buckingham was born in Natick and was a lifelong resident. She grew up on the property that is now the Natick Community Organic Farm where her family served as caretakers for the property. She spent years on the community farm's board of directors, and remembered her farm life fondly. From that experience came a lifelong love of animals.
"She just thought it was an idyllic life," said Laura Gobron, her niece.
She received undergraduate and graduate degrees from the Boston University School of Music, and had a critically-acclaimed career as a soprano.
When she retired from singing professionally she became a piano and voice teacher, connecting young people to music by showing them how to perform.
Cathy Hancox Racine said Buckingham taught both she and her sister Mary piano and voice.
"Any music I produced that somebody else liked, it was because she showed us how to do it right," Racine said. "I always felt like I was singing (well) because Mrs. Buckingham worked very carefully through it with me."
Racine said she also became a lifelong friend, attending family weddings and singing together whenever possible.
"As either a vocal or piano teacher, she could go from being Mrs. B my friend to Mrs. Buckingham my vocal instructor," she said. "She was able to manage that warm, and professional, part of being a vocal teacher and friend."
She was a longtime honorary member of Natick's Rotary; she attended meetings with her late husband Bruce, and became the group's go-to piano player for 50 years.
Despite the Rotary members begging her to become a full member, she always just kept her honorary status. That didn't stop her from becoming an ardent participant in Rotary's service projects; she twice won the Paul Harris Fellowship, Rotary's highest honor.
"She was just a dynamo when it came to energy, and she really exhibited that," said longtime friend Joseph Keefe. "She was a lady of the first order."
She was also a longtime supporter of the Open Door dinner at St. Paul's Church on Thursday nights, making meals and leading the singalong.
She was a longtime trustee of the Morse Institute Library and a trustee of Dell Park Cemetery.
Buckingham never had children; she is survived by her nieces and nephews, Gabron, Simon, and William Hayes and their children.
Relatives and friends are invited to a celebration of Buckingham's life on Saturday Jan. 28, at 11 a.m. in the First Congregational Church on East Central Street in Natick.
Visiting hours are Friday from 4 to 8 p.m. in the John Everett and Sons Funeral Home on Park Street.
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- Natick Buckingham or Hayes
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- Massachusetts Buckingham or Hayes
- USA Buckingham or Hayes
- Find a Grave Buckingham or Hayes
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