Mrs. Barbara Marie Hilliard Johns, 97, died Monday morning (January 23, 2023) at Hospice of the Golden Isles in Brunswick.

Born October 31, 1925, to the late Marie Estelle Organ Hilliard and Charles Hilliard in West Palm Beach, FL. In 1940, Barbara married Seba Gilbert Johns in Waycross. She and Seba had four children, Marie Barbara Johns Sawyer, Ileen Frances Johns Skarpalezos, Seba Gilbert Johns, Jr. (Jimmy), and Jeffrey Paige Johns. Barbara and Seba raised their family in the Old Nine Section of Waycross. Seba died in 1976 and he was a retiree of the ACL Railroad. For the first time, Barbara went to work outside the home as a bus driver for the Ware County Board of Education. She would drive students to out of town sports games on Friday nights, and she also delivered special education children to their classes during the week. Never has a person loved her job more than she. She was a member of Crawford Street Baptist Church where she taught Sunday School. Barbara remained in Waycross until 2000 when she and Paige moved to the Riverside section of Brantley County. A couple of years ago, she sold her home in Brantley County and moved to St. Simons Island to be closer to her family.

In addition to her parents and husband, Barbara was preceded in death by her sons, Jimmy and Paige Johns; and her brother, Colonel Charles W. Wilson.

Survivors include her daughters, Ileen Skarpalezos and Marie Johns Sawyer both of St. Simons Island; three grandchildren, George Skarpalezos II and Winnie Marie Skarpalezos both of St. Simons Island, and Allye Leggett of Brantley County; one great granddaughter, Brianna Herrington of Brantley County; several nieces and one nephew.

A funeral service will be held at 2 p.m. Thursday (January 26, 2023) at the Music Funeral Home Chapel. Burial will follow in Oakland Cemetery. The family will receive friends Thursday beginning at 1 p.m. at the funeral home.

Sympathy may be expressed by posting to her tribute wall, or by viewing the video tribute and funeral service recording at www.musicfuneralhome.com.

Music Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.