Karolynn Kay (Barnes) Ferguson, 79, of Battle Creek, passed away on Sunday, November 30, 2025, at Lakeview Assisted Living in Battle Creek, under hospice care.
A memorial visitation will be held on Saturday, December 13, 2025, from 10:00 A.M. to 12:00 Noon at the Battle Creek Central High School Commons, 100 West Van Buren Street, Battle Creek, MI 49017. A memorial service will follow at 12:00 Noon, also at the Commons. There will be a short time for friends to share a memory. A luncheon will follow the service, also at the Commons.
The oldest of two children, born on November 19,1946, to the late Gerald D. Barnes and Vera H. (Kellogg) Barnes. Raised in Leonidas, MI, a 1965 graduate of Colon High School.
She moved to Battle Creek where she received a secretarial certificate from Kellogg Community College and was a night-school secretary.
In 1968, she transferred to a secretarial position at Battle Creek Central and worked at Battle Creek Public Schools for 44 years. She worked in the HS counseling office, for the Director of Vocational Education and Director of Elementary Education, at Springfield HS, at Northwestern Junior HS, and most of her career at W.K.Kellogg Junior HS, Battle Creek Central and the Central Fieldhouse Athletic Department.
She and Fred Jones, who she affectionately referred to as her “knight in dented armor” retired from BCPS in 2011 after working together since 1981. Finding herself unable to stay away from the school community for long, she was contracted through EduStaff to work for BCPS maintenance department in which she tended flower beds and cleaned out the closed elementary schools.
She also worked evenings and weekends at JCPenney, Gilmore’s, Gordon’s Food Service, Kirkham’s Grinders, Battle Creek Enquirer stuffing ads in the Sunday paper, typing teacher’s grad-school thesis, City of Battle Creek Parks and Recreation Department, Full Blast, Kellogg Arena events and catering.
Coaches, the press, officials, security and ticket sellers could count on a hot meal being available at BCCHS home football or basketball games or BCCHS-hosted tournaments including the basketball Holiday Tournament, District and Regional tournaments and State wrestling meets. She catered for many parties and weddings and there was never a shortage of people at Karolynn’s parties. She never wanted anyone to feel left out. She regularly took a homemade lunch to the ‘guys at maintenance’ in which they were often a guineapig of some new recipe.
She joined the BCCHS Hall of Fame Board of Directors, and in 2021, was inducted into the Hall of Fame for her contributions to the BCCHS community. She was an advocate for children and veterans’ causes, finding ways to partner with Michigan Youth Challenge, engaging the National Honor Society students to earn their volunteer hours by working the BCCHS Hall of Fame banquet, and finding ways the Hall of Fame could meet their mission of helping the community at-large.
She was called ‘Mom’ by many students and reciprocated by saying she had hundreds of children. She was the long-distance collect call from a homesick kid who went to college, and the encourager in the main office to students who had few others. She taught the value of being present, putting one’s best foot forward, and treating others as you would want to be treated. She found a second family in the staff.
She volunteered at Kimball House Museum with the annual Candlelight Stroll, Charitable Union, Cereal City Hoopsters, BCPS 2007 Bond issue campaign, moved the Battle Creek Historical Society to its current location, made countless meals for those recovering from an illness or family loss, donated the proceeds from hundreds of blankets she made to Alley Cat Angels, Roar, and the Animal Rescue Project. She was a dog lover through and through, having at least one dog for most of her life.
She found her identity in Battle Creek Public Schools and the City of Battle Creek. While she was raised a Colon Magi, she will forever be a Battle Creek Central Bearcat.
She is survived by her daughter, Courtney (Ferguson) James with her late ex-husband Jim Ferguson (Jane Ferguson), son-in-law Will James, granddaughter Amelia, partner in life Fred Jones and countless relatives by love, rather than blood.
Memorial donations can be made to Battle Creek Community Foundation with Gerald D. Barnes Family Scholarship on the memo line, 32 West Michigan Avenue, Suite 1 Battle Creek, Michigan 49017 or https://bccfoundation.fcsuite.com/erp/donate/create/fund?funit_id=1401
Events
Visitation
Saturday, December 13, 2025 10:00AM – 12:00PM
Battle Creek High School Commons
100 West Van Buren Street
Battle Creek , MI 49017
Service
Saturday, December 13, 2025 12:00PM – 1:00PM
Battle Creek High School Commons
100 West Van Buren Street
Battle Creek , MI 49017
Luncheon
Saturday, December 13, 2025 1:00PM – 3:00PM
Battle Creek High School Commons
100 West Van Buren Street
Battle Creek , MI 49017
Posted On: Wednesday, December 3, 2025 1:06 PM
