Morris Karnes, son of the late Lester and Fannie Turner Karnes was born on January 4, 1951 in rural Bell City, Missouri and departed this life on October 28, 2021 at the Saint Francis Medical Center in Cape Girardeau, Missouri at the age of 70.
Coach Karnes was a member of the Bernie Church of Christ. He was a retired school teacher and coach. He ran a successful lawn care business and had been in charge of Bernie City Cemetery since 2012.
He was blessed with a great baseball career in which he was an NAIA All American Baseball player at Oklahoma Christian College, followed by a great career in education. He was able to have a positive impact on students from Scott County Central, Nell Holcomb, Twin Rivers, Richland, and Bernie Schools. A two-time Hall of Famer, being inducted into the Oklahoma Christian Athletic Hall of Fame in 1994, and the Bernie Schools Hall of Fame in 2021, highlight his professional life.
His favorite Bible verse was Galatians 6:9, which tells us “And let us not grow weary in doing good, for in due season we shall reap our reward, if we do not lose heart.” He spent his life serving others and “doing good.” Whether it was his career in education, raising money and working on the Bernie baseball field, opening the gym on Sunday nights for students and community members, providing lawn care to the community and Bernie Cemetery, or providing for his family. He always served others without wanting or needing recognition or acknowledgement. He played such a positive role in the lives of his family and the students and community members he served. Most importantly, he served the Lord, and we are thankful we were blessed to have him in our lives.
On March 19, 1972 he was united in marriage to Beverly Ann Greenwood in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. Mrs. Karnes survives of their residence in Bernie.
Other than by his wife, Beverly, he is survived by one son, Jason Karnes and wife Casey of Bloomfield, Missouri; by two daughters, Jennifer Brown of Bernie, Missouri and Kacie Cotta and husband Nick of Lebanon, Missouri; by two brothers, Ival Gene Karnes and wife Geraldine and Joe Karnes and wife Becky both of Sikeston, Missouri; by one sister, Debra Shelton and husband Gary of Searcy, Arkansas; by six grandchildren, Skyler Brown, Raigen Brown Conner Brown, Cason Karnes, Cooper Karnes and Sadie Cotta.
Visitation will be conducted on Monday, November 1, 2021 from 5:00 p.m. until 8:00 p.m. at the Mathis Funeral Home in Bernie.
Funeral services will be conducted on Tuesday, November 2, 2021 at 4:00 p.m. in the Mathis Funeral Chapel in Bernie. Interment will follow in the Bernie Cemetery.
Coach Karnes requested all memorials be made to the Bernie Cemetery Fund, P.O. Box 605. Bernie, Missouri 63822 or 18 Fore Life, c/o Scott Kruse, 705 Laurie Circle, Dexter, Missouri 63841.
