KEMPER, Warren Wilber

KEMPER, WHITAKER, THOMAS

Posted By: Wagner (email)
Date: 6/22/2013 at 11:48:54

Warren Wilber Kemper - Morning Sun News-Herald, Thursday, April 11, 2013 – Accompanied by a photo.

Warren Wilber Kemper, age 74, or rural Wapello, died Friday, April 5, 2013 at Great River Medical Center. The son of Oscar and Hilda (Whitaker) Kemper, he was born September 1, 1938. On April 27, 1958 he married Shirley Thomas at Morning Sun.

He was a 1956 graduate of the Wapello High School

He served in the U.S. Army Reserves from 1956-62.

Warren was a third generation farmer on a farm southeast of Wapello. In his younger days he was a 4-H leader and also drove a school bus for the Wapello Community School District.

Warren was head of the Township Trustees Fire Association. He was instrumental in helping to purchase new fire equipment for Wapello and surrounding communities.

Warren has been involved with local and also national chapters of the Corn Growers Association. He and Jack Parsons were very influential in bringing ethanol to Iowa.

He was part of a committee called the Rivers and Locks Committee. Their goal was to revamp the river locks and dams on the Mississippi River. He made numerous trips to Des Moines and Washington D.C. to try to push this through. During the Flood of 1993, as a Louisa County Supervisor, Warren helped to bring in thousands of dollars for recovery efforts. Also in the Flood of 1993, he was instrumental in bringing Senator Grassley and Senator Harkin to Oakville to tour the devastation first hand.

Warren was a member of the JI Case Collector’s Association; JI Case Heritage Foundation, Past director of Western Illinois Old Threshers Association. He was a member of the Wapello United Methodist Church.

He was an avid Iowa Hawkeye fan.

Survivors include his wife Shirley of Wapello; two sons, Thomas and Melanie Kemper of Tama, Iowa, Mark and Heather Kemper of Wapello; one daughter, Judy and Kirk Gerst of Wapello; six grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren.

He was preceded in death by his parents and one sister, Evelyn Augsburger.

Visitation was Monday from 2 – 8:00 p.m. at the Dudgeon-McCulley Funeral Home in Wapello, where the family met with friends from 5 – 8:00 p.m.

The funeral service was Tuesday, April 9, 2013 at 10:30 a.m. at Dudgeon-McCulley Funeral Home, with Pastor Dan Doolin officiating along with Dave Nelson, Dave Seick, and Marvin Hardy. Interment followed at the Wapello Cemetery with graveside Military Rites. A time of lunch and fellowship followed at the United Methodist Church.

Memorials have been established for Jefferson Township Cemetery Fund and the Wapello Youth League.

I am not related and have no further information.