Pillar of the Community

CAROL BARNES

Optimist Club Pillar member for 2007

Carol Barnes was our selection this year for the Pillar of the community. Below is the information that was shared during the evening event. It may be a little lengthy but it is a good bio. Enjoy and Carol thanks and congratulations.

On March 24, 1947 in Ashland, Kansas, Carol Ann Stewart was born. She is the second daughter of four children born to Robert and Dorothy Stewart who lived on a ranch ten miles from Oklahoma. Carol shares her birthday with some other Grain Valley residents, Chris Davis and Lewis Maxon. Carol’s school days started at Wilmore Grade School. When she started fifth grade, her parents moved the children to the neighboring town of Coldwater which had an accredited high school. For twelve years, Carol’s mother rented a house in Coldwater and worked at an insurance agency until all four children had graduated from high school. This was done so the children could attend college if they so desired. On weekends, holidays and during the summer, the family stayed on the farm. During high school, Carol was active in band playing the flute. She also sang in the school choir and was a member of a show choir called The Epitomes. She was active in the Sunny Valley 4-H club and Job’s Daughters where she advanced to the station of Honored Queen. She was a member of the National Honor Society and was honored with the John Phillip Sousa Award for musical achievement. She continued her education at Fort Hays State where she earned a Bachelors degree in Math Education and was a member of Sigma Kappa sorority.
Carol moved to the Kansas City area in 1969 where she started work for American Telephone and Telegraph (AT&T) as a computer programmer building on the computer courses she took in college. She worked for AT&T for over 26 years before retiring in 1997. During that time, Carol met Allen Barnes. They were married on January 29, 1972. They joined the Mid America Corvette Club in Kansas City and the National Council of Corvette Clubs after they bought a 1971 yellow corvette. They enjoyed amateur racing in an eight state area for many years. Carol was rated top woman driver in west Missouri for several years. In 1986, Carol and Allen moved to Grain Valley, sold their corvette and started a family. Katie Barnes was born on a beautiful sunny day on March 20, 1988 at Research Hospital.
When Katie started school, Carol joined the Grain Valley PTA and is still a member today. She served on the board of directors for eight years in various positions. Carol was asked to become a member of the Citizens Advisory Committee where she served one term. While Katie was in middle school, Carol was a member of the Principal’s Advisory Committee. Carol was invited to join the Optimist Club of Grain Valley in 1996 where she enjoys many hours of fun and friendship. She continues to be an active member having served on the board, served 3 terms as secretary and one term as president.
When Carol retired from AT&T, she worked part time for Country Florist in Grain Valley delivering flowers. While working there, she learned floral design. When not working at the flower shop, Carol volunteered her time in the Matthews Elementary library. This led to her accepting a teacher’s aide position in 1998 in the Matthew computer lab where she still works today.
Today, Carol divides her time between family, her work for the school district, the Grain Valley Assistance Council where she’s a member of the Board of Directors and her many friends and activities with the Optimist Club.