Obituary of Walter Kempf

Walter Kempf, age 83 of 802 Westside Drive, Iowa City died Tuesday, June 15, 2004 at his home. Funeral services will be held at 10:30 a.m., Thursday June 17, 2004, at Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service in Iowa City. Masonic Memorial Services will be conducted as part of these funeral services at this time. Burial with Military Honors will be at Memory Gardens Cemetery in Iowa City. Visitation will be from 4 to 7p.m. today at the funeral home. Memorial donations can be made in Walter’s memory to Iowa City Hospice. Online condolences may be sent for Walter’s family through our website @www.gayandciha.com. Walter Kempf was born February 20, 1921 in rural Johnson County, Iowa the son of Emra and Barbara (Schlabaugh) Kempf. During World War II, he served in the United States Army. On March 2, 1946, Walter married Ruth Smith. A lifelong resident of Iowa City, he had worked for the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics before retiring in 1986. He was a member of the First United Methodist Church in Iowa City, and a member of the William Reynolds Lodge No. 667 A.F. & A.M. for forty-nine years. His family includes his wife, Ruth; daughters and their husbands, Carolyn and Jack Burke and Elaine and Terry Paul all of Iowa City; five grandchildren, Angie and her husband Fred Wilz, Amy and her husband, Tom Brandt, Jeff and his wife, Kate Burke, Eric Paul and Katie Paul; five great-grandchildren; four brothers, Wayne and Lester Kempf both of Iowa City, Russell Kempf of Wellman, and John Kempf of Cedar Rapids; three sisters, Orpha Kempf of Iowa City, Martha (Mrs. Vyrl) Justice of Cedar Rapids, and Olivia Abshire of Sun City, AZ. He was preceded in death by his parents, twin brother, Warren, and a sister, Alice, five infant brothers and sisters, and an infant great-grandson. Walter will be remembered as a wonderful husband, father, grandfather and great-grandfather. Gay & Ciha Funeral and Cremation Service is caring for Walter’s family and his services.