After a valiant battle with cancer, Elizabeth M. Barnard was called home to be with her savior on 9/27/2016. Born on 1/1/1955 at 4:30 in the morning to Reba and Charles Kerr in Troy, OH, Elizabeth Ann Kerr (Beth) would be their only child. Beth grew up going every day to her parent’s business, Kerr Office Supply Store in downtown Troy and their photography business. Beth and her parents were Christians and their life revolved around their strong beliefs.  Beth grew up in Troy and eventually found herself attending college at Taylor University in Indiana.  There she graduated with her degree in both English Literature and French.

Beth married and relocated to Lakeland, FL where Beth worked for Till Office Supply company as a buyer.  After some time, Beth realized that she was being called to serve and teach. She enrolled at Florida Southern College in Lakeland, FL where she went on to receive her next degree in Primary Education.

Beth then accepted a position at Saint Anthony's Church school in Lakeland using her ESE Certification to work with special needs children.  She also spent a year working for the Learning Resource Center and was involved with United Way.  After the loss of her husband, Beth then joined her parents attending church at Highland Park Church of the Nazarene.  This is where she participated with the church and was responsible for assisting with the children's ministry. She continued in her faith to do mission trips to places like Haiti and even Russia, where she spent several months constructing a church.

In the fall of 2002, she was introduced to her current husband, Bruce Barnard. It didn't take long before she relocated to Kissimmee, FL where she accepted a position at Deerwood Elementary.  Along that path, she and Bruce married in 2005.  She worked at Deerwood Elementary for several years until she transferred to Partin Settlement Elementary where she worked until she retired in 2014. While at Partin Settlement she was named Teacher of the Year for the school and was later named one of five finalists for the Osceola County School District.   During her teaching time in Osceola County she also taught ESE at Kissimmee Elementary during summer sessions, was a Project Child coordinator and tutored for the Hospital Home Bound students.

In her most recent years, she enjoyed traveling to different countries, taking cruises, spending time with family, and visiting her grandchildren in North Carolina where her second home was.

She was predeceased by her parents Charles and Reba Kerr and is survived by her husband Bruce Barnard, son Kyle (Christy) Barnard, daughter Jenna (John) Kehr, grandsons Jackson and John Luke Kehr, Aunt Betty Kendall, and cousins Gary (Peggy) Kendall and Jon (Evelyn) Kendall, sister-in-law Karen (Angelo) Milazzo and many nieces and nephews.  A celebration of her life will be held Saturday, October 1, 2016 at Trinity Lutheran Church in Kissimmee beginning at 1:00 p.m. Interment 11:00AM Saturday, July 15, 2017 at Riverside Cemetery in Troy, OH with Rev. David Ramming officiating. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to any organization supporting children, churches or the defeat of cancer. Local arrangements entrusted to Fisher-Cheney Funeral Home, Troy. 
 

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