The funeral service for John P. Kempe of Hollandale will be 11 a.m. Wednesday at St. Theodore Catholic Church, Albert Lea. The Rev. James Berning will officiate. Visitation will be one hour prior to the service at the church. Interment will be in the Geneva Cemetery, Geneva. Military honors will be accorded by Albert Lea veterans organizations. Bonnerup Funeral Service is assisting the family with arrangements.
John was born in Bertha on Aug. 8, 1949, the son of John Emil and Veronica (Sweeney) Kempe. He graduated from Staples High School and then obtained machinist training at Staples Vocational School. He had lived in the Twin Cities for a short time before serving his country in Vietnam. After returning from the service he lived in Staples, Owatonna, and later made his home in rural Hollandale. John had worked at OTC in Owatonna for 12 years before retiring due to his failing health. He was married to Carol Stohr on April 25, 2000, on Katherine Island, Albert Lea.
Throughout his life John was a hardworker and was the ultimate handyman, he could fix about anything. He was a woodworker who enjoyed building anything, including birdhouses.
The only son and youngest of seven children in his family, he gently cared for his mother throughout his life.
He loved the outdoors, especially enjoying deer hunting and ice fishing.
John died on Sunday, Nov. 23, 2008, at Good Samaritan Society, Albert Lea, where he had been a resident since last December. He was 59 years old.
John is survived by his wife Carol of rural Hollandale; his mother Veronica Warner of Staples; two children Boyd (Carley) Kempe and their six children of Owatonna, and Nichole Kempe and her daughter Teagan of Owatonna; stepdaughter Amber (Charlie) Riley of Cedar Rapids, Iowa; seven sisters: Mary (Ray) Heaser of Bloomington, Rose Zetah of Motley, Delores (Jerry) Kurpious of Florida, Virginia Reger of Staples, Bernie (George) Durbin of Waite Park, Audrey (Bob) Goligowski of Brooklyn Park and Bonita (Delbert) Hansen of Staples; brothers-in-law: Bradley (Alice) Stohr of Thompson, Iowa, and Scott Stohr of Geneva; and several nieces and nephews.
John was preceded in death by his father.