KELLY BARNES CALKINS,
63, passed away on December 10, 2021, in Little Rock, Ark.
Kelly, who was born on November 26, 1958, in Shreveport, La., to Ray and Ginger Barnes, was a devoted wife, mother, daughter, and sister. Her primary focus was always her family.
She is survived by her husband of 43 years, Ron Calkins; daughter, Zoe Calkins and her fiance, Jake Dell; parents, Ray and Ginger Barnes of Bossier City, La.; sisters, Terry Mills (Gene Brown), Sarasota, Fla., and Dallas Dermody (Mike), Celina, Texas; and sisters-in-law, Carol Calkins, Dallas, Texas, and Karen Calkins Link (Ken), Benton, La.; and brotherin-law, Scott Calkins (Debbie), Baton Rouge, La.; and motherin-law, Jean Calkins, Bossier City, La.; and numerous other aunts, cousins, nieces, nephews, and a multitude of friends.
After graduating from Airline High School in Bossier City, La. in 1976, Kelly earned her BA in English, College of Education at LSU-Shreveport in 1981. Coupled with her minor in Library Science, her love of books, and her passion for teaching, Kelly’s career launched as a children’s library media specialist. She and Ron moved to Little Rock in 1985, where she found her happy place in the library at Wilson Elementary, until it closed in 2017. She continued her career at Pulaski Heights Elementary library until she retired in 2020. Kelly used her creativity to excel at the thing she loved most about her job–getting kids excited about reading. She will be remembered as an amazing LRSD library media professional who touched the lives of many students, teachers and parents.
In her spare time, Kelly enjoyed, crafting, sewing, listening to music, eating Ron’s cooking, decorating her home, working in her flower garden, and visiting with friends and family. Most days, when the weather was nice, you could find her sitting outside in the sun reading a book.
To honor Kelly, the family plans to hold a celebration of life in early 2022. Donations may be made to the Pulaski County Imagination Library by visiting pcaril.org/donate/ and select “Add special instructions to the seller” and enter “in honor of Kelly Calkins.”