Barbara was a wonderful wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother, aunt and a dear friend to many. She was born on July 6, 1932 in Wildwood, GA. Barbara grew up in North Georgia and graduated from Chattanooga Valley High School in 1949. A year later, she married her childhood sweetheart, Herbert Conner of Trenton, GA. They were married 68 years until Herbert passed in 2018. Herbert spent 24 years in the U.S. Army and Barbara was a faithful, dedicated military wife, traveling the world with him and their four children
Barbara was a wonderful mom, cook, homemaker and a woman of strong faith, always actively involved in her local church. She taught various Sunday School classes, worked with mission groups such as Rock of Ages Ministry and served on various committees. Most recently, she was a member of Short Creek Baptist Church in Athens. She loved to decorate, read and spend time with family and friends. She worked for a number of employers through the years, including Dupont, Miller Brothers and Belk’s.
As a toddler, her oldest granddaughter, Christi, gave her the nickname “Dar Dar”. That name stuck. All of her family and friends loved and will miss their Dar Dar.
She was preceded in death by her parents, James Nabors and Vera Griggs; brothers, Richard, Charles and David Leon Nabors; sister, Phyllis Pursley; and grandson, Eric Conner.
Survivors include her son, Herbert, Jr. (Denise) Conner of Taos, MO; daughter Deborah (Roger) Paul of Fernandina Beach, FL; son Gary (Sandra) Conner of Ooltewah; daughter, Marica (Jerry) Merck of Athens; grandchildren Steve (Lynn) Pursley of Ringgold, GA; Christi (Mike) Zaffaroni of Jacksonville, FL; Dean Kelly of Athens; Dana Owen of Chattanooga; Morgan Conner and Ben Conner of Columbia, MO; and Elizabeth Conner of Jefferson City, MO; several beloved nieces, nephews, great-grandchildren and extended family members.
A Celebration of Life Service will be held at 1:30 PM Tuesday, January 10, 2023 in the funeral home chapel with Rev. Dean Ropp officiating. Interment will follow at 10:30 AM Wednesday, January 11, 2023 at the Chattanooga National Cemetery.
Please visit www.chattanoogavalleyviewchapel.com to share your thoughts and memories of Barbara.
The family will receive friends from 11 AM to 1 PM Tuesday, January 10, 2023, at the Valley View Chapel of Chattanooga Funeral Home, Crematory and Florist, 7414 Old Lee Highway, Chattanooga, TN 37421.
