Nancy Branner Driver Stewart

Nancy Branner Driver Stewart, 90, died on Sunday, April 23 at Virginia Mennonite Retirement Community where she was a resident for two years.The first daughter of Allen D. and Pauline Theis Branner, she was born on Feb. 21, 1933 in New Market, VA, at the home of her maternal grandparents, Otis and Lillie Theis. Sister Anne and husband Phil Olinger, Winchester, VA, survive. Sister Sue and husband Albert Pence are deceased.Following a marriage to Lynn Rodes Driver in 1951, she became the mother of Lynn A. Driver, Basye, VA; Rev. Dr. Terri D. Driver-Bishop and husband Rev. Dr. Robert Driver-Bishop, Frederick, MD; Noel L. Rackie and husband Tony Rackie, Canton, GA; and Samuel P. Driver and wife Melody Driver, Madison, VA, all of whom survive.She later became the devoted grandmother of Carli Driver, Chris Belcher, Anna Kerns, Jordan Rackie, Brandon Driver, Paige Driver and Canette Fagan. Nancy was also blessed with six great grandchildren Logan and Kayleigh Kerns, William Rackie, Ariana Fagan, and Trace and Quinn Belcher.A graduate of New Market High School, Madison College, B.A., and James Madison University, M.A., she became a Teacher of English at Harrisonburg High School 1968-1989. For twenty-one years, she enjoyed teaching English to Harrisonburg juniors and seniors.In 1977, she married John Gideon Stewart, with whom she lived so happily for thirty-three years, until his death in August, 2010. Nancy and John lived in Broadway, VA and had many good friends of all ages in Rockingham and Shenandoah County, and beyond.Deeply interested in local history, she studied, complied notebooks, and wrote articles on the history of Reformation Lutheran Church, twenty-three Schools in New Market, the houses of New Market, the life of Jessie Hainning Rupert, New Market baseball teams, African Americans in the Shenandoah County, Georgian Houses in Shenandoah County, and Wealth in Dunmore/Shenandoah County, most of which are held by local libraries and the Shenandoah County Historical Society.Following cremation, a Memorial Service will be held at Reformation Lutheran Church in New Market, VA, officiated by Rev. Bradley Burke on Monday, May 1 at 11:00 a.m. A luncheon in the fellowship hall will follow the service. Later, Nancy will be buried beside her beloved John in Beth El Cemetery, Harrisonburg, VA in a private service.In lieu of flowers, memorial gifts may be given to Nancy's lifetime church, Reformation Lutheran Church, P.O. Box 896, New Market, VA 22844 or to her beloved community of Beth El Congregation, P.O. Box 845, Harrisonburg, VA 22803.A fan of the musical Mama Mia!, Nancy says to all who grieve her departure, "Thank you for the music - for giving it to me."Previous EventsServiceMAY 1. 11:00 AM (ET)Reformation Lutheran Church9283 N Congress StNew Market, VA 22844

Nancy Branner Driver Stewart

February 21, 1933 - April 23, 2023