Barbara Driffin

Barbara Jean Driffin was born Barbara Jean Count Hines on October 26, 1936, to the parents of Vivian LaVerne Hines and Homer Count, Jr. Barbara was born in Shelby County, Memphis TN. She was baptized as Barbara Jean Hines (Count). At the age of 8 she attended Saint Mary Academy boarding school in New Orleans. At the age of 11 her family moved to New York where she and her Grandmother Julia, and her cousin Thomas Robert lived in New York. She attended All Saints high school in Brooklyn New York. Mom stated at the age of 18 she met many suitors, but only one suitor caught her eye, that was her pen pal, John Driffin, a Marine, who he claimed put stars in her eyes and he had butterflies in his belly. Barbara was asked by the priest why she wanted to get married, and she stated that "she already lived life" and John stated that "he loved her and wanted to make a family with her". So, on June 18, 1955, they were married at the Church of The Holy Name in New York.

Barbara grew up as an only child, but she had many close friends, especially the one she referred to as her sister, Erika. They would get on the phone and talk for hours about anything and everything. Her confidant was her first cousin, Helen Ann. That was her traveling companion whom they had many miles of cruising together.

In 1956, that's when their family started. Roxanne Higgs, Myrna Driffin, Barbara Walker, John Driffin, Richard Newton and Bryan Driffin.
In 1965 Barbara, John and their family lived in Newark New Jersey until they decided to move their family to the suburbs in Queens in 1968. During those years the family traveled to the Island of Jamaica.
In 1972 they decided to move out of the inner city of Queens to the suburbs of Long Island New York.

In 1977, they became grand parent to Keysha, Tonya, Nakia, Anthony, John, Claudia, Joseph, Russell, Nicole, Terrance, Bryan, Jr., Whitney, Keanna, Brieanna, Shyheem, John and Christopher.

So, in 1998 their set of great grands started. There is a total of 29 great grands to this day. She was elated to see her grands and great-grands, but she had a smile when they left.

So, in 1993 they decided to retire to Orlando Florida. After the death of her husband John in 2007, Mom wanted to be close to her family in North Carolina, so she made the journey to Hope Mills.

Mom called herself a "house hold engineer" she did not like using the word housewife. She was the first black women that worked for Klein's Department store as a sale woman. She was also employed for Western electric while taking care of her five children and her husband John. She also drove as a chauffeur for the "elite snobs" of New York and sold Tupperware.

Barbara was a nurturing, kindhearted individual and a dedicated mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, and friend. She loved her children immensely, as well as her husband. She was an extended mother to many children that came through her doors. No matter what you did and how bad the situation was she had your back. Mom, Grandma and great-grandma and friend will truly be missed.

The family wants to thank everyone who came to pay their respect and say, "until we met again" "Mom".