Ocean Springs community gathers to pay respects to Kennon Barton at Memorial Service

‘Kind like Kennon’ that is the motto Ocean Springs High School is taking on as they pay their respects to their former teacher.

Friends, family, former students, and members of the community gathered at the Ocean Springs High Auditorium for a memorial service for Kennon Barton.

Barton was killed in a car accident on I-10 last week. Barton was a proud husband to his wife of ten years, Callie Barton, and a loving father to his son, Riot Ledger Barton.

Those close to Barton said he found his calling as a teacher, teaching AP English and making a long-lasting impact on the lives he touched. Friend Shonda Bourn said, “He found a love for life. He found a love for people. He loves these kids and those kids loved him and everything that he just comes in contact with, he was just a ray of sunshine. He just, he was so kind, you can see it in everything that he did. He was so genuine.”

Before his passing, Barton was a recipient of the Educator Impact Award presented by Keesler Federal Credit Union.