Barbara Coast Buttolph, age 92, of The Residence at Otter Creek, Middlebury, Vermont, passed away peacefully at home with her family at her side on December 2, 2014. Born in 1922, in Gloucester, England, to Thomas Stanley and Mabel (Woodward) Coast, she grew up in Harrow, a suburb of London. After finishing her education at Harrow School for Girls and excelling at math, she worked in the Bank of England (equivalent to the U.S. Federal Reserve Bank) in London during the early years of WWII sometimes sleeping in the bank's underground vaults to avoid bombing raids. In 1942, she joined the Royal Air Force where she was one of a small group of women selected for training to operate MIT-engineered radar. Stationed at Swanage on the southern coast of England, she was on duty the night before D-Day and was part of a team that intercepted two German reconnaissance planes, thus preserving the element of surprise for the attack. She never forgot coming off duty in the morning and seeing the English Channel filled with boats. It was in Swanage, where on November 11, 1943, she met her husband of 69 years, 1st Lt. Edward E. Buttolph, at a local hotel that offered dining and dancing. They married in England on July 14th, 1945. Her husband returned to the U.S. and she later sailed to America on a luxury liner carrying war brides. One of the many wartime stories she liked to recount was the time she was playing leapfrog on the beach with a group of young women and stepped back on the boot of General Montgomery, who had strolled up behind her without warning. She did not hesitate to tell him that it hurt her foot. She lived for many years in Middlebury on Chipman Hill before moving to Lake Dunmore in 1988 and then to the Lodge in 2011. Life in Vermont was a big change from London, but Barbara came to love the beauty of the state. Early on, she even learned to deer hunt with her husband, getting a buck her very first year in the woods. At one time, Barbara served as Treasurer of the Porter Hospital Auxiliary and was a frequent visitor to nursing home residents. She served on the Board of Directors of Briny Breezes, Florida, where she enjoyed many winters. She was an avid walker and swimmer, and enjoyed gardening, reading, making a witty joke and playing bridge. In her later years, she enjoyed boating around Lake Dunmore. The greatest joy of her life was her children who, in addition to her husband, survive her. She leaves sons Christopher, David (Jerilyn) and Martin (Fawnda), daughters Janet Johnson and Alison Kutchma (David), 11 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, December 6th at 2 p.m. in St. Stephens Episcopal Church in Middlebury followed by a reception at The Residence in Middlebury.