Dorothy R. (Bliven) KEMP

BLIVEN, KEMP, HAMMOND, THOMPSON, SIMS, CLEVENGER, HAWLEY, MEWHIRTER, DUBOIS, MOHR, ANDERS

Posted By: Sarah Thorson Little (email)
Date: 7/17/2015 at 18:23:48

March 8, 1920 --- July 10, 2015

Dorothy R. (Bliven) Kemp, 95, of Story City, passed away Friday, July 10, 2015 at Bethany Manor. Funeral services were held Tuesday, July 14 at 10:30 a.m. at Bethany Manor, with burial following in the Story City Cemetery. Visitation was held Monday, July 13 from 5 to 7 p.m. at Soderstrum Funeral Home in Story City.

Dorothy R. Bliven was born March 8, 1920 in Columbus Junction, to Charles Roy Bliven and Cecilia Pearl (Hammond) Bliven. On Feb. 4, 1943, Dorothy married Allen Kemp. The couple first resided in Oceanside, CA, where Allen served in the Marine Corps. Following his military service, Allen and Dorothy moved to Kanawha, IA where Allen served as Superintendent of the Iowa State University Northern Iowa Research Farm.

In 1967, the couple moved to the ISU Horticulture Research Station near Gilbert, where Allen served as Superintendent. As she and Allen raised their three boys, Dorothy also spent countless hours canning the fresh produce from the family garden, becoming an expert in the craft. After Allen's retirement in 1985, the couple moved to Broad Street Condominiums in Story City. The couple enjoyed time spent visiting their relatives, including numerous trips to the Columbus Junction area, allowing Dorothy to enjoy time with her siblings and extended family.

Allen preceded Dorothy in death in 1989. Dorothy remained at Broad Street, where she had formed many close friendships, and enjoyed opportunities to socialize with her neighbors and host her sons and grandchildren. Dorothy is preceded in death by her husband, Allen, and siblings, Lillian Thompson, Jean Sims, Maxine Clevenger, Margaret Hawley, Vera Mewhirter and Harold Bliven. Dorothy is survived by her three sons; Craig (Kris) Kemp of Ames, Brian (Cindy) Kemp of Sibley, and Bryce Kemp of Ames; and grandchildren, Dan (Beth) Kemp, Anthony Kemp, Benjamin DuBois (Jennifer), Brandon (Jamie) DuBois, Briton (Dustin) Mohr, Courtney (Robyn) Anders, Andrea Kemp, Mandy Kemp, Justin Kemp; and great-grandchildren, Ezra Mohr and Isaiah Mohr.

Story City Herald - Story City, Iowa
July 15, 2015