Kari Kay Barnes

Kari Kay (Farber) Barnes, age 57, passed away peacefully surrounded by her loved ones on July 8, 2026. Kari was born in Edina, MN on October 2, 1968 to her loving parents Keith and Kathleen Farber, and grew up in Oconomowoc, WI.

Kari is survived by her husband Dan Barnes; daughter Nina Barnes; stepmother Diane Farber and her family; brother Kirk (Kelly) Farber and their children Emma & Violet; her brother-in-law, Tom (Janice) Barnes, and their children, David and Kate; and her brother-in-law, Don (Sherry) Barnes, and their children, Baily, Nico, Olivia, and Isabella. She is also survived by her greatest life-long friends Gretchen Cerveny, Wendy Sallam, and Chrystal Stephens.

Kari is preceded in death by her parents, Keith and Kathleen Farber; and parents-in-law Harold & Wilma Barnes.

Kari dedicated her life to her family as well as her passions for art, animals, and nature. Whenever possible, she loved to turn her passions into a business. She graduated from UW-Whitewater with a Business degree, so it’s no surprise she was a serial entrepreneur, creating a long list of companies: The Balloon Factory (with mother Kathleen), K&D Marketing (with husband Dan), Hat Creek Candle Co.(with friend Wendy), Cabin Scents, and Kari Barnes Art & Design. She often employed family members and friends to join in her visions. She loved learning and was always taking a new online course to explore new ventures. She also loved teaching, and created a video series about digital commerce. In her free time, she loved riding horses, especially with her daughter Nina and great friend Chrystal. One of her absolute favorite activities was watching Nina compete in riding competitions. Kari also raised rabbits for show with Nina, and had a coop full of chickens. She always had a cat or two around, as well as her beloved heelers Maggie and Arya. Throughout her life, Kari loved art, especially painting, and her house was filled with canvases in various states of completion. Her artistic expressions also found their way into outdoor gardens, wildflower arrangements, and even creating a vineyard. She approached life with an enduring creative spirit and a curiosity that never faded. Through every endeavor and every challenge, her devoted husband, Dan, was by her side, offering unwavering love, encouragement, and support throughout their beautiful life together.

The family invites you to join them at Pagenkopf Funeral Home on Saturday, August 1, 2026 from 10:00am-12:00pm, with service to follow. This will be a celebration of Kari's life. There will be an open mic, and we invite anyone who would like to share a story or memory of Kari—how she touched your life, made you laugh, brought a smile to your face, or simply made the world feel a little brighter.

In lieu of flowers, memorials to AngelsGrace are welcome.