Obituary: Timothy Noyes Driver, 59

Timothy Noyes Driver, 59, of Wellesley, Massachusetts died peacefully on January 10, 2026 of glioblastoma. He was surrounded by the love, music, and storytelling of his immediate family.

Tim’s gentle spirit and infinite kindness helped everyone he knew feel seen and valued. His keen humor and wit drew smiles and easy laughter. Tim had a special grace about him that twinkled in his eyes and emanated from his being. His spirit will be sorely missed, particularly by his wife of 32 years, Lisa, and their three children, Jay, Eve and David.

Tim was born in Brooklyn, New York and grew up in an antique farmhouse he loved dearly on Plumbrook Rd. in Somers, NY. It was there that he developed a love of nature and the ability to build and fix things. It was also during these years that Tim discovered his fascination with entrepreneurship – starting his earliest business ventures with childhood friends. Tim attended Rippowam Cisqua School in Bedford, NY. He loved sports – particularly baseball, hockey, soccer, tennis, and golf.

Tim spent every summer of his life visiting family and close friends around the waters of Buzzard’s Bay and Martha’s Vineyard Sound. He felt most at peace sailing on those waters. And the “band of brothers” he grew up with there became woven into his soul. It was also during these summers that Tim’s lifelong love of music was cultivated – through family sings and late night guitar jams. Trips to Martha’s Vineyard in later years with Lisa, Jay, Eve and David further established his sense of belonging in those special places.

Tim went to high school at Milton Academy in Milton, MA. He learned leadership skills and the ability to use words for both reason and beauty. Some of his dearest friendships were made there. He felt a strong connection to his family’s legacy at Milton, and enjoyed spending school vacation time with his grandparents in nearby Needham, MA.

Tim attended Macalester College in Saint Paul, MN, where he majored in Political Science and became fascinated with journalism. He was drawn to the warmth and ease of the Midwest. Tim’s own sense of caring and comfortable grace were qualities that helped him foster friendships there that he treasured his entire life. During his college years and beyond, Tim enjoyed camping and going to concerts. Music – in particular Neil Young, Simon & Garfunkel, Coldplay and The Grateful Dead – was in his bones. He loved to travel – visiting family in England each year, biking through Europe with childhood friends, traveling to Japan, and spending a semester studying abroad in France.

After graduating college in 1988, Tim moved to New York City and began working for CNN in its early days. There, he honed his writing and communication skills and indulged his love of wrestling with the issues of the day. He met his wife Lisa there, and together, they moved to Washington, D.C. with CNN. Their early years were filled with constant laughter and adventure—including a trip to eastern Europe shortly after the fall of the Berlin Wall. They were married in 1993, in a magical ceremony overlooking Buzzard’s Bay.

Tim decided to pursue his longstanding interest in business and entrepreneurship. He earned an MBA at Georgetown University in 1994, and worked for Andersen Consulting (now Accenture) and AOL (America Online) in its early days. Tim and Lisa made their home in Alexandria, VA and their children Eve and David were born there.

A job opportunity with Salary.com drew Tim and Lisa to the Boston area in 2001, where they enjoyed being closer to the mountains and the waters they both loved. They made their home in Wellesley, MA, where their youngest son, Jay, was born. Tim was devoted completely to his family. He coached baseball and soccer, he taught his children how to swim and ride bikes and ski, he built swingsets and sandboxes and playhouses, and worked with his children to build art projects to give as Christmas gifts to their mom and grandparents. Tim’s own curiosity and wonder never waned, and he found so much joy in playing with and teaching his children.

In 2006, Tim took the leap into entrepreneurship and founded the company Retirementjobs.com to help people over 50 find work that was meaningful. Tim was ever the optimist and lived in the world of possibilities. For twenty years, he worked joyfully to create businesses and partnerships designed to “make aging easier” for people around the world. His company evolved into Age Friendly Ventures, Inc. and included Mature Caregivers, The Age Friendly Institute, and the Certified Age Friendly Employer program. Tim’s passion was contagious. In addition to organizing and hosting The Revolutionize conference, bringing together people from all sectors of the Age Friendly movement, Tim spoke at Harvard Business School, Stanford Business School, and many other conferences and events. Tim was so grateful for the many colleagues and friends who devoted time and resources to helping him cultivate his ideas and fuel his passion for creating and innovating with an eye toward social impact.

Tim’s love of sports and camaraderie was ongoing. Tim and Lisa and their children spent many winters skiing with dear friends at Mt. Sunapee. Tim’s paddle tennis league at The Weston Golf Club brought him valued friendships and much appreciated winter exercise. Tim always loved playing golf. He was able to enjoy a wonderful trip to South Carolina to play with his closest college friends shortly before his diagnosis. Tim also loved watching baseball, and in recent years, he and Lisa became “super fans” cheering on their son Jay, traveling to stadiums far and wide and forging important bonds with other parents of athletes. The summer they spent in Waquoit, spectating at Cape League games and enjoying time on Tim’s boat, “The Flying Goose,” was a true highlight.

Tim appreciated his community in Wellesley, and served on the Wellesley Free Library Foundation and on the Wellesley Little League Board. Another volunteer priority for Tim was serving on the Board of Learning Courage – an organization whose mission was very important to Tim.

In Tim’s final months, the support of his family and friends brought him immense comfort and joy. Even when his body was failing, he defied the medical odds and rallied to partake in many nights of laughter, conversation, music, and favorite foods and drink. He was so grateful to the people who generously helped to feed and sustain him and his family during this time.

Tim always said his greatest accomplishment in life was his family. He was extremely proud of his three children. Whether it was Jay’s baseball games, Eve’s book tour, or David’s musical talents, Tim was eager to support their interests. He was unfailingly committed to his life long partnership with Lisa, and he loved his extended family so very deeply. In addition to his wife Lisa and their three children, Jay, Eve, and David, Tim is survived by his mother, Marilyn Mann Driver, his brothers, Nick Driver of San Francisco, CA and Mark (Claire) Driver of Santa Monica, CA, his brothers-in-law, Tom Raffo of West Palm Beach, FL, and Bill (Melissa) Raffo of Accord, NY and the nieces and nephews he loved seeing whenever possible. Tim is predeceased by his father, William R. Driver III., and his grandparents, William R. Driver Jr. and Charlotte Noyes Driver.

A visitation will be held Friday, January 16th, from 3p-6p at Doherty Funeral Home in Wellesley, MA. A funeral service for family and friends will be held the following morning, January 17th, at 11am at The Village Church in Wellesley, MA.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Care Dimensions Hospice and Palliative Care.

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