Barbara Fuller Morkan

Barbara Fuller Morkan, just weeks shy of 90, left us on December 29, 2021. She could not conceive of a world without God, children, or Jane Austen; we cannot conceive of a world without her. For 53 years, Barbara was the devoted wife of John F. Morkan, Jr., until his passing in 2007. The family she leaves behind is large and loving: son Jack and his wife, Clare Vanderbeek, daughter Laura and her wife, Jean Whitney, daughter Linda, daughter Martha and her husband Wayne Dennison, son Christopher and his wife Dr. Anne-Marie Prabulos, and son Thomas and his wife, Tami. She also has a passel of grandchildren: Lila Mae Purvis; Catherine, Mills, and Libby Dennison; Riley and Colby Morkan; and John and Joshua Morkan. The loss of their mother/grandmother will leave a large hole in their lives. An alumna of Hartford College for Women, Barbara spent her life in Hartford, East Hartford, and Simsbury. While she and John traveled extensively (her favorite vacation spot was Spain), Barbara was most content at home saying that she was "a Connecticut Yankee…born and bred" (she was a direct descendent of Thomas Judd, one of the founders of Farmington in 1640). A lively talkative woman, Barbara treasured her friends: "the Gang" from East Hartford and "the Local Folk" of Simsbury. She taught nursery school for several years and, upon her retirement, joined the Farmington Valley VNA Town Associates, the Historical Society of Simsbury, and was also an active volunteer at the Simsbury Senior Center. A longtime member of the Friends of the Simsbury Library, reading was her passion. When she wasn't reading, she was knitting hats for the homeless or attempting (unsuccessfully) to conquer the intricacies of her computer. She delighted in her collection of capes and shawls and could frequently be seen tossing them over her shoulder with wild abandon. She was a communicant of St. Mary's Church and graciously volunteered her time by serving on various committees over the years. Memorial donations to the House of Bread or any of the above-mentioned groups would be much appreciated. Given the current pandemic conditions, there will be no immediate services, but a raucous, laughter-filled Celebration of her Life will be held in the spring. You have time to curate your favorite Barbara memories/anecdotes and be ready to share them with us all in 2022.