Barbara Jo (Fling) Driver

A Celebration of Life honoring Barbara Jo Driver, 82, of Nacogdoches will be held at 3:00pm on Saturday, November 1, 2025, at Laird Funeral Home with Bro. Skipper Eberlan officiating. 

Mrs. Driver passed away on Sunday, October 26, 2025, in Nacogdoches.  She was born on December 3, 1942, in Jacksonville, Texas, the daughter of Morris Shepherd and Annell Jenkins Fling.

Barbara Jo was born in Jacksonville, Texas, the daughter of Morris and Annell Jenkins Fling.  Her daddy nicknamed her “Butch” and she answered to it proudly.  Her childhood was spent as a typical young girl, playing basketball and cheerleading the teams at her school.  She then attended Jacksonville Baptist College and East Texas Baptist University.  It was during her time at JBC that she met Gayle Driver.  She soon gave in to the fact that he was the love of her life!  They married on June 30, 1962, and she proudly spent the next 63 years as a loving and devoted wife.  Barbara and Gayle added to their family with the birth of their children and the happiness they brought was immeasurable.  She was so very proud of the adults they became and relished the time she was able to spend raising them.  She passed on her strong values and her love of God.  And then, grandchildren came along.  Being a grandmother proved to bring some of the most joyous times in her life.

Barbara always enjoyed her work in the banking industry.  She spent 10 years at Stone Fort Bank and then an additional 20 years with Angelina Savings before retiring.  Along the way, she made many friends that she forever cherished.  Barbara also, thanks to her husband and children, came to love the game of golf.  She spent many hours watching them all play and she treasured every bit of it.  And as everyone knew, she absolutely made time to play BINGO!! She was also a devoted member of First Baptist Church.

Barbara is survived by her loving husband, Garland Gayle Driver; children, Stephanie Bass & husband Vic, Gregg Driver and Scayne Driver & wife Tanya; grandchildren, Garrett Driver, Payton Bass, Jared Bass, Tanner Bass, Zach Driver and Jayce Driver and great grandchildren, Cohyn, Cooper, Casyn, Luke, Hailie, Halden and Layton. 

She is preceded in death by her parents, Morris & Annell Fling and her mother-in-law, Fannie Ruth Seale.

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