John David Kempe (1914 - 2007)

Born 1 Oct 1914 in Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois, USA

Ancestors

Husband of Esther Albertina Mathilda (Lindstrom) Kempe — married 20 Jan 1940 in Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois, USA

Died 15 Jun 2007 at age 92 in Rockford, Winnebago County, Illinois, USA

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Biography

June 24, 2007 J. David Kempe

J. DAVID KEMPE, 92 ROCKFORD - J. David Kempe, 92, of Rockford died at 12:45 p.m. Friday, June 15, 2007, in Fairhaven Christian Retirement Home. Born Oct. 1, 1914, in Rockford, the son of N. John and Sigrid F. (Quist) Kempe. Graduated from Rockford High School in 1931. He married Esther A. Lindstrom on Jan. 20, 1940, in Rockford; she died Dec. 13, 2004. He worked at J.L. Clark Co. from 1933 to 1940 and then as a supervisor at Woodward Governor Co. from 1940 until retiring in 1979. Active member of First Evangelical Covenant Church, where he served in many church office positions, including Sunday School superintendent, church chairman and member of the choir and male chorus. David had a life-long love of gardening, put to its greatest use in the home built by his father and him. He enjoyed household projects and tinkering in his workshop. In later years, that brought him to caning chairs and weaving baskets. David loved his Swedish heritage, the Chicago Cubs, a good cup of coffee, ice cream, apple pie and a good game of Scrabble. His sense of humor was especially appreciated by his children and grandchildren. David was a quiet, respected, honest, Christian, God-loving man in all that he did. His warm, blue eyes and radiant smile will be missed by those whose lives he touched. Survived by daughters, Ruth (Dale) Hallblade of Sun Prairie, Wis., and Marcia (Steve) Larson of Bellevue, Wash.; grandchildren, Randall, Michael and Chad Hallblade and Brian (Jennifer) Larson, Douglas (Tricia) Larson and Valerie (Michael) Eggers; and great-granddaughter, Maya Fabian. Memorial service will be at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, June 26, in First Evangelical Covenant Church, 316 Wood Road, with Chaplain Norm Collins officiating. Private burial in Scandinavian Cemetery. Memorials to First Evangelical Covenant Church or Fairhaven Christian Retirement Home. Arrangements by Olson Funeral & Cremation Services Ltd., 1001 Second Ave.

Sources

• Birth: 1 Oct 1914
  • Winnebago County IL Archives Birth Records
    "10/01/1914 - KEMPE, JOHN DAVID - KEMPE, JOHN - QUIST, SIGFRID FATIMA"

• Marriage: 20 Jan 1940
  • Winnebago County IL Archives Marriage Records
    "01/20/1940 KEMPE, JOHN DAVID [age] 26 LINDSTROM, ESTHER ALBERTIN [age] 24"

• Census:
  • 1920 United States Census, database with images, FamilySearch (accessed 9 November 2015), John Kempe, Rockford Ward 1, Winnebago, Illinois, United States; citing sheet 9B, family 177, NARA microfilm publication T625 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 1,820,416.
  • 1930 United States Census, database with images, FamilySearch (accessed 9 November 2015), John Kempe, Rockford, Winnebago, Illinois, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 0014, sheet 18B, family 461, line 84, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 571; FHL microfilm 2,340,306.
  • 1940 United States Census, database with images, FamilySearch (accessed 9 November 2015), David Kempe, Ward 8, Rockford, Rockford Township, Winnebago, Illinois, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 101-61, sheet 11B, family 234, NARA digital publication T627 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012), roll 914.

• Death: 15 Jun 2007
  • United States Social Security Death Index, database, FamilySearch (accessed 9 November 2015), J David Kempe, 15 Jun 2007; citing U.S. Social Security Administration, Death Master File, database (Alexandria, Virginia: National Technical Information Service, ongoing).

• Other:
  • Memorial at FindAGrave.com