May 9, 1933 – Jan 14, 2018
Barbara J. McCorison (Babs) passed away after a long battle with Alzheimer’s. She is survived by her husband, Peter, daughter, Joyce Eldering-Barnard of Pacheco, California and sons Eric Eldering-Cornetta (Angelyn) of Hingham, Massachusetts, Jim McCorison (Jan) of West Sound and Douglas McCorison (Juliana) of Esquimalt, British Columbia, as well as grandson, Nicholas Barnard, granddaughter, Liza Cornetta and brother, Dick Weaver (Fran) of Berlin, Maryland.
Born to Chester and Grace Weaver, she lived in Boston until the family moved to Portland, Maine, when she was 9 years old. She enjoyed swimming, sailing and making bullet-proof snow forts. Babs received her bachelor’s from Simmons College in Boston, Massachusetts, majoring in graphic arts. She made great booklets, pamphlets and newsletters, as well silk screen Christmas cards.
Babs married Sandy (Herman G.) Eldering and had two children. During their time together, they lived in Maui, Hawaii and Chelmsford, Massachusetts. In 1996, she moved to Orcas Island to join longtime friend, Peter McCorison. They were married in 1997. Babs lived the remainder of her years on Orcas Island, sailing and cooking for her family and neighbors. She baked four loaves of wonderful sourdough bread every week for more than 20 years. She always said that she loved to feed people. Babs made pizza on New Years Day for her neighbors while living in Maui more than 50 years ago. That was the beginning of a tradition that lives on to this day — Eric and Jim continue to put on New Years’ Pizza parties on the East and on the West Coast.
In the mid-70s, she began studying mycology and became a nationally recognized expert on mushrooms. She gave lectures to the garden club and led educational walks through Moran State Park; Babs was affectionately known on Orcas as “the Mushroom Lady.”
She became a ham radio operator and was the editor of the “Dummy Load,” the newsletter of the San Juan County Amateur Radio Society, for a number of years. She was also a past member of the West Sound Community Club, Fidelis and the Orcas Island Yacht Club.
Donations may be sent in memory of Barbara Eldering to Friends of Farlow, 22 Divinity Ave., Boston, MA 02138. A celebration of Babs’ life will be held at the West Sound Community Club on Saturday, June 9, from 2–5 p.m. Please bring finger foods and a memory to share.
