Barbara C. Loftin

Barbara was born in Loray, N.C. and grew up in Statesville, N.C. where she was a member of New Salem United Methodist Church. She attended Cool Springs High school in Statesville and Brevard College in Brevard, North Carolina. While at Brevard she was on the May Court. She was a cheerleader both at Cool Springs & Brevard and even Miss Merry Christmas for the town Statesville one year! Barbara worked for The G.L. Wilson Building Company as a secretary in Statesville, N.C. before moving to Jacksonville in 1958.

Her first job in Jacksonville was with Provident Mutual. The majority of her career was as a legal secretary working for a variety of law firms. Most of her years were spent working with Hank Searcy, where she met Hank’s dapper and witty cousin Eugene. Barbara immediately fell in love with him and they eventually married in 1967! Gene was a character who waited purposefully until 2 days after her 30th birthday to marry her, so he could spend the rest of their years together teasing her that he had married an old maid.

She worked as a legal secretary for her husband Gene for several years before leaving to work for Trek Safari’s International, a place she loved dearly and where she worked until retirement.

Barbara was joyful and full of laughter. She was an excellent bridge player, playing in a variety of Bridge clubs, both with her wonderful friends & her husband Gene.

She loved watching all sports. She spent many years watching her son Charlie play baseball & basketball. Gene sent her on many errands picking up kids (sometimes the entire team) for practice & running the concession stand at San Souci ballpark.

She was an avid reader, beach goer and professional sharks tooth finder!

Barbara and Gene could not wait to be grandparents and shared four years together as Nana and Papa to their first grandchild Annie. They “borrowed” her on a regular basis for random ball games and Saturday morning breakfast outings, just the three of them, before losing Gene in an automobile accident in 2000.

She continued to thrive as “Nana” for the next 15 years, traveling to and from ballparks, gymnasiums, auditoriums, pools and churches watching her grandchildren play ball, music, swim, sing or dance! She was their biggest fan and as proud as she could be!

Barbara was preceded in death by her husband, Gene; her parents, Philip and Lucille Connolly; her younger brother, Jimmy Connolly; her special aunts, Cile and Mary and sisters in law, Eunice Connolly and Kirby Connolly.

She is survived by her daughter, Laura Loftin Glover (Kevin); son Charles Alexander Loftin (Lidia); grandchildren, Annie, Charlie, Lucy and Will Glover, Anthony, Claude, Sam and Leeza Loftin; three brothers, Bill (Martha), Bob (Dale), and Joe Connolly; her very special Aunt Libby Connolly; six nephews; two nieces; many great nieces and nephews and one great-great nephew.

A memorial service will be held at 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, November 8, at Southside United Methodist Church, 3120 Hendricks Avenue, Jacksonville, FL 32207. A reception will be held immediately following the service, in the Family Life Center at Southside United Methodist Church.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made towards Batten disease, at www.bdsra.org. Barbara wanted to contribute to this cause after learning of a young family who suffered the loss of a child.