18 Thursday, September 19, 2024 BATTLE CREEK SHOPPER NEWS http://www.thebattlecreekshopper.com
Kathleen
Mary (Ward)
Moore, 63, of
Battle Creek,
Mich., died
peacefully on
the Feast of
the Nativity of
the Blessed
Virgin Mary,
surrounded
by her family, on Sunday, Sept. 8,
2024, at Bronson Battle Creek.
Kathleen was born Aug. 24,
1961, in Detroit, Mich., to Robert
and Rosemarie (Kolevar) Ward.
She grew up through elemen-
tary school in Armada, Mich., and
moved to Battle Creek in 1974,
graduating from Lakeview High
School in 1979. Kathleen earned
her Bachelor of Arts degree in
Economics from Kalamazoo
College, which included a semes-
ter in Caen, France, that ignited
her love for travel. She began her
career as a Marketing Specialist for
Bill Knapp’s Restaurants in 1984
before joining her alma mater’s
Center for Career and Professional
Development. In the midst of a
growing family, Kathleen dedicated
the next decade to fostering love
inside their home. After her six
children had entered school, she
transitioned back into the work-
place as the Liturgy Coordinator/
Bulletin Editor/Receptionist at St.
Philip Catholic Church. In 2009,
she joined Community Action as a
Human Resource Assistant. Since
2011, her coaching ethos infused
everything she did, and she found
her true passion when she became
a Family Coach and subsequently
Special Projects Coordinator for
the Calhoun Intermediate School
District. From 2019 to 2023,
Kathleen was the Executive Director
for Battle Creek Shared Services
Alliance. A Certified Professional
Coach, Kathleen impacted count-
less people through her coaching
practice.
Kathleen was united in mar-
riage to Kevin Moore at St. Joseph
Catholic Church on June 18, 1983.
Surviving are her husband, Kevin;
children, Lissa (Jeff) Layman of
Amsterdam, Netherlands, Patrick
(Ashley) Moore of Battle Creek,
Abby (Saud) Al Bassam of Kuwait,
Andrew (Courtney) Moore of Grand
Rapids, Peter Moore of Battle
Creek, Anna (Jackson Wright)
Moore of St. Paul, Minn., Karl
Moore of Phoenix, Ariz.; grand-
children, Maddison, Mckenzi and
Lincoln Moore, Bo Moore, Eli
Benedict Moore born on Sept. 10,
2024; her father, Robert M. Ward of
Battle Creek; siblings, Tim (Mary)
Ward of Birmingham, Mich., Anne
(Jim) Speese of Battle Creek,
Maria (Tracy Wright) Ward of Grand
Rapids; and an abundance of in-FUNERAL ETIQUETTE
WHAT CAN I DO TO HELP LATER?
In the days and months to come, the family
will continue to need your support. Try to write
or call on a regular basis. Continue to include
them in your social plans, they will let you
know when they are ready to participate. It is
also nice to remember the family on special
occasions during the first year following the
death. Don’t worry about bringing up the pain
and emotion of the loss, they are well aware
of that. By remembering such occasions as
wedding anniversaries and birthdays, you are
not remembering the death, but reaffirming that
a life was lived.Source: Thefuneralsource.orglaws, cousins, nieces, nephews and
their families.
Kathleen was preceded in
death by her mother, Rosemarie,
and her godfather, Uncle Russ
Semelsburger.
Kathleen lived for her faith, her
family and the outdoors. She was
a member of St. Thomas More
Catholic Student Parish and a fierce
advocate for public education. Avid
campers, in the early years of their
marriage, Kathleen and Kevin often
camped while attending away sport-
ing events for their kids. Although
she was well-traveled, her favorite
spot in the world was Wilderness
State Park in Northern Michigan,
where she vacationed with fam-
ily each summer. A member of the
Lakeview Board of Education since
2003, Kathleen spent 16 years
in leadership positions, including
serving as President from 2008 to- Her passion for education and
belief in the impact school boards
can have on student learning led
her to the Michigan Association of
School Boards, where she served
on the Board of Directors and was
President from July 2023 to July - On August 19, 2024, she
received MASB’s highest award for
an individual board member, the
President’s Award of Recognition,
for completing a minimum of 1,
education credits.
As evidenced by the long list of
organizations she was involved
with, she never stopped learn-
ing, growing, and engaging with
her community. Her commitment
to equity led to improved services
for families with young children
throughout Calhoun County and
the state. Kathleen was a lifelong
learner, deeply compassionate, and
devoted to building her community.
She loved campfires, reading to
children, red wine and pizza, cro-
cheting blankets, being submerged
in Lake Michigan, and making
Rosaries and her famous chocolate
and peanut butter chip cookies. The
fun was in the baking, as her grand-
children can attest: A messy kitchen
meant time well spent! Kathleen will
be remembered for her dedication
to children and her push for better
education. Her true love and affec-
tion was contagious to everyone
she met. Above all, Kathleen adored
her family and always celebrated
her role as wife and mother.
Friends were received at a visita-
tion 2-4 p.m. and 6-8 p.m. Thursday,
Sept. 12, 2024, at Farley Estes
Dowdle Funeral Cremation Preneed
Care, Battle Creek, where the
Rosary was prayed at 8 p.m. The
Rosary will be Livestreamed and
may be viewed at: https://vimeo.
com/event/4567729.
A Mass of Christian Burial to cel-
ebrate Kathleen’s life was held at
10:30 a.m. Friday, Sept. 13, 2024, at
St. Thomas More Catholic Student
Parish, 421 Monroe St., Kalamazoo,
MI 49006. Those who were unable
to attend can go to https://www.
facebook.com/sttomskazoo/videos.
A light reception followed Mass.
In lieu of flowers, memorial con-
tributions may be made to the
Lakeview Schools Educational Fund
(LSEF) to create a grant or scholar-
ship to honor her commitment to
the students, staff and administra-
tion of the Lakeview School District
and the service and recognition she
has provided to the district at both
the local and state levels.
If you would like to join in this
endeavor, you may do so in three
ways:
Make a donation in the envelope
that was provided at any service;
Mail a check made payable to
LSEF, 15 Arbor St., Battle Creek, MI
49015 with “Kathleen Moore” on the
memo line;
Go to https://lsefspartans.org/
index.php/donate-now/. Select
PayPal, and write “Kathleen Moore”
on the note/memo line.
Memorial contributions may also
be made to the Michigan Parkinson
Foundation, (https://parkinsonsmi.
org/support/) and the Susan G.
Komen organization (https://www.
komen.org/).
Personal messages for the family
or remembrances of Kathleen may
be placed at https://www.farleyes-
tesdowdle.com/obituaries/kathleen-
moore.