Deborah G. Coffin died January 31, 2014 at Maine Medical Center in Portland.

Deb, as she preferred to be called, was born October 28, 1950, in Lowell, Mass.

Raised in Hamilton, Mass., she graduated from Hamilton-Wenham Regional High School, class of 1968 and from the University of Maine at Orono with a degree in physical education. She went on to teach PE and coach basketball in the Searsport school system for 15 years. She then earned her master’s and doctorate degrees at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in physical education pedagogy and was an associate professor at Lyndon State College. She moved to Vinalhaven in 2007, very happy to be returning to her favorite state.

She leaves her parents, Peter N. Coffin and Elaine G. Coffin of Damariscotta; a sister, Martha C. Reed and her husband Wesley of Vinalhaven; her niece, Natalie of Portland; her beloved chocolate lab Mocha and her cat Mildred. She also leaves a great support system and friends, including Louie Martin, Ruth Sayward and Gery Torborg. Her family is deeply grateful to her friends on Vinalhaven for having taken her into their care.

A memorial service will be held February 15, 2014 at 1 p.m. at the Pleasant River Chapel in Vinalhaven. Transportation inquiries for out of town friends and family may be made to Martha at 207-863-4361.

Arrangements are being made with Burpee, Carpenter and Hutchins Funeral Home 110 Limerock St., Rockland. For a full obituary and an opportunity to express condolences, please visit Deb's Book of Memories at www.bchfh.com. Donations may be made to Joslin Diabetes Center, 1 Joslin Place, Suite 745, Boston, MA 02215, or Pope Memorial Humane Society of Knox County, P.O. Box 1294, Rockland, ME 04841.