Kemp, Marie 1914-2002

KEMP, CHRISTOFFEL, THIEL

Posted By: Linda Ziemann, volunteer (email)
Date: 3/18/2009 at 12:26:51

LE MARS, Iowa -- Marie Kemp, 88, of Le Mars died Friday, Nov. 22, 2002, at Happy Siesta Health Care Center in Remsen, Iowa.

Services will be 10:30 a.m. Monday at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Le Mars, with the Rev. Andrew Hoffmann officiating. Burial will be in Calvary Cemetery, Le Mars. Visitation will be after 3 p.m. today, with a Christian Mothers and Catholic Daughters of America rosary at 4 p.m. and a vigil prayer service at 7 p.m., all at the church. Arrangements are under the direction of Fisch Funeral Home in Remsen.

Marie was born April 5, 1914, in rural Remsen, the daughter of Peter and Katherine (Thiel) Christoffel. She was raised in the Remsen area and received her education at St. Mary's Catholic School in Remsen.

She married Al Kemp on Jan. 16, 1935, at Remsen. They lived near Le Mars, where they were engaged in farming until retiring and moving into Le Mars in 1974. Al died Feb. 4, 1974. Marie had been a resident of Happy Siesta Health Care Center since January 1999.

Marie was a member of St. Joseph's Catholic Church, Christian Mothers, Catholic Daughters of America for more than 50 years and the Fraternal Order of Eagles, all of Le Mars. She enjoyed gardening, playing cards and traveling.

Survivors include a son, Mark Kemp of Atlantic, Iowa; a daughter, Janice and her husband, Lloyd Harpenau of Remsen; 13 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; a sister, Mrs. Melvin (Florence) List of Granville, Iowa; three sisters-in-law, Mrs. James (Bernadine) Christoffel of Granville, Leone and her husband, Ben Ruhland of Le Mars, and Mrs. Wendell (Irene) Phillips of Remsen.

In addition to her parents and her husband, she was preceded in death by her daughter-in-law, Mahala Kemp; a sister, Phyllis and her husband, Norbert Colling; four brothers, Henry and his wife, Sonia Christoffel, Ray and his wife, Elva Christoffel, Bill and his wife, Lucille Christoffel and Jim Christoffel; and a brother-in-law, Melvin List.

Pallbearers will be Brian Grees, Chuck and Dennis Harpenau, Pat Hopley, Rex Jones, Bert and Tom Kemp and Damon Koontz.

~Source: The Sioux City Journal; part of the Darrell E. Obituary Collection