Obituary of Arthur Jacob Kempf

Arthur Jacob Kempf

1921 ~ 2022

Arthur Jacob Kempf, 101, passed away suddenly on May 22, 2022 while residing at Royal Oak Village in Lacombe. 

Art will be sadly missed by his three daughters, Joyce (Glen) Laughlin of Blackfalds, MaryLou (Ken) Annas of Airdrie, and Diane (Perry) Hunter of Red Deer;  grandchildren Angie Paquette, Aleisha (Aaron) McAfee, Carrie (John) Drews, Christina (Adam) Valdez, Megan Paulsen, and Kelli (Patrick) Spruyt;  great-grandchildren Jozlyn Paquette, Jazmyn Desjarlais, Gavin McAfee, Kelsie McAfee, Angela Valdez and June Lillian Spruyt;  as well as numerous nieces, nephews, other relatives and many dear friends.

Art was born February 22, 1921 to Jacob and Sarah, at home on the farm near Botha. He was the baby of the family, raised with 3 brothers and 1 sister.  He met the love of his life in Lillian Tuck, they married in 1945 and were married for 57 years. Together they were blessed with 3 daughters,  and today, Art has 6 grandchildren, and 6 great-grandchildren.  Art had been a farmer his entire life. During his working years, he was a very busy man off the farm, as a County Councillor for 16 years, member of the School Board for 16 years, along with sitting on the Hospital Board when it was being built.   In 1957 Art went to Seattle, for a Scientific Breeding School to learn about artificial insemination techniques and later, was in up to his armpits as President of the Stettler A.I. Association for 9 years.  He has shown Prize Holstein Cattle, excelled in curling while winning the Grand Challenge Stettler Bonspiel, and had a vested interest in politics, successfully winning all 5 elections in which he ran.   Art enjoyed travel, visiting Hawaii, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, and Alaska.  He accumulated many miles camping in the R.V, travelling through much of the U.S. and from here to Vancouver Island.  In retirement, he and Lillian moved to Stettler, then Red Deer, Hanna and his final years living in Lacombe. He maintained his interest in current affairs and politics, while trying for decades to master the art of fishing. He enjoyed watching baseball and hockey on the tube, listening to hymns and old-time music, his favorite song has always been Edelweiss.   

At 101 years old, he was predeceased by nearly everybody.   Namely his parents of course, his wife Lillian, brothers Kasper (Kay), Edwin (Bernice), Werner (Margaret), his sister Helen and her husband Sam Gura. Plus a niece, Linda Kempf McDonald whose husband Charlie is with us today.

Well known for his love of storytelling, a quirky sense of humour and endless generosity, he will be sadly missed by many, and remembered by all who knew him.

Celebration of Life

Thursday, June 2, 2022 at 2:00 P.M.

Stettler Funeral Home, Stettler, Alberta

Memorial Donations may be made to Canadian Red Cross (1305 – 11 Ave. S.W.  Floor 2, Calgary, Alberta T2C 9Z9) or to the Stettler Health Services Foundation (Bag 500, Stettler, Alberta T0C 2L0).