"I remember her warm hugs and he beautiful smile. Before covid she hug me every week. Awesome lady .She will be greatly missed. Sending Prayers to the family. Rest In Peace sweet Karen."
In loving memory of
Karen Louise Barton
December 20, 1939 - April 27, 2021
Karen Barton, beloved mom, gram & G.G. unexpectedly left this earth for her Heavenly home on April 27, 2021.
Karen was the middle of 3 children, born to Glen & Edith Wood. When Karen was 15 years old, her mom passed away during a routine surgery. At 19, Karen married & moved to Virginia Beach where she made life long friends. After many years and a move back to Kalamazoo, Karen was blessed with 2 daughters, Jodie & Patty. In 1980, Karen became a single mom and found work milking cows for Elton & Lindy Smith of Med-O-Bloom Farms in Caledonia. A few years later, Karen became the primary calf raiser. She created school age field trips and designed a coloring book for the kids to take home. In August, 1985, Karen married Al Needham who unexpectedly died in March 1986. Karen went back to raising calves working for Frank & Irene Bruinsma in Middleville. Karen would complete her farming career working for Eddie & Mary O'Donnell in Freeport. Frank, Irene, Eddie & Mary became life long friends of Karen's as she was accepted as an extended part of the Bruinsma and O'Donnell families.
On July 7, 1992, Karen married the final love of her life, Jim Barton. There were married until his death in December 2010. That same year, Karen became a great-grandma and therefore became G.G. to most everyone.
Karen learned the art of sewing from her mom & 4-H. In 2011, Karen moved to Sparta to be closer to her family. She had always made her own clothes, her children's clothes and costumes as well as many wedding attire for so many. G.G. was asked to help create costumes for her daughter and granddaughter for Sparta Community Theatre (SCT) and became the sewer costumer for SCT & Sparta High School. Her 1st show for Sparta High School was Aladdin in which she made over 80 costumes. One of her favorite creations was the donkey costume, 6 Fiona costumes as well as 4 Fiona wedding dresses for Shrek the Musical.
G.G. had a love for music. She played the piano & accordian by ear as she could not read sheet music. She instilled a love of coloring & painting to her great grandkids. She has paintings in the living room windows to commemorate each great grandchild and their current age, from freight trains to castles.
Karen was preceded in death by her parents, her oldest daughter Jodie, her beloved husband and her grandson-in-law Jesse. She will be greatly missed by daughter Patty (Brian) & step-son, Rusty (Judy); grandchildren, Jessica (Jack), Shane (Faryn), Seth, Arin (Matt) and Anna (Cory); great-grandchildren, Jaxson, Jayden, Triston, Ali, Kailyn, Jesse, Eli, Alistor, and Aeilla; her siblings, Bill (Mary), Pat (Don), special nephew Doug, many nieces and nephews as well as so many people whose life G.G. touched including many, many church friends who will miss her loving, caring & fun personality. Karen always ended her phone calls, "Love you, God Bless, bye bye."
A Celebration of Life will be held on Saturday, June 12, 2021 at Rodgers Park, Sparta MI, at 3:00 p.m. Visitation 1 hour prior with the family.