Barbara Hinckley, who lost her life savings to a scammer in 2019, poses Jan. 7, 2020, in her home in Auburn. She died Sept. 13 at the age of 99. A memorial service is set for for 1 p.m. Friday, Oct. 20, at the First Universalist Church, 169 Pleasant St. in Auburn with a reception to follow in its vestry. Steve Collins/Sun Journal file

AUBURN — Almost four years ago, hundreds of people turned out for a fundraising spaghetti dinner to help restore the finances of an elderly Auburn woman who was scammed out of her life savings.

Next week, there will be a memorial service to honor Barbara Hinckley’s life.

Hinckley died Sept. 13 at the age of 99 after a lifetime of singing and music that included stints with the Androscoggin Choral, the Brunswick Choral Society and seven years directing the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Choir.

She came to wider public attention when she told the Sun Journal in 2019 how a friendly con artist convinced her over time to hand over almost all the money she’d saved from a lifetime of work — a story that convinced former Gov. John Baldacci to host a fundraiser for her in January 2020 at the Auburn Middle School.

The memorial service is slated for 1 p.m. Friday, Oct. 20, at Auburn’s First Universalist Church, 169 Pleasant St., with a reception to follow in its vestry.

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