1919
John
2008
John Kemp
June 6, 1919 — June 6, 2008
John B. Kemp, 89, passed away peacefully on Friday, June 6, 2008 at his residence at the Episcopal Church Home in Louisville, KY.
He was born on August 14, 1918, the oldest of five children of John Bert and Margaret (Little) Kemp, who were homesteaders on their farm near Scobey, MT.
Services will be at St Ann?s Catholic Church, Prairie Village, KS on Tuesday, June 10, 2008 at 11 a.m. Visitation will be from 10-11 a.m. prior to the service, at the church. Arrangements are being handled by D.W. Newcomer?s Sons, Overland Park, KS. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial gifts be donated to the national headquarters of Easter Seals, 230 West Monroe St., Suite 1800, Chicago, IL 60606.
Mr. Kemp was a highly distinguished and deeply dedicated public servant, with 63 continuous years of public service, first as a U.S. Navy Lieutenant in World War II, followed by a career in transportation and public works including the Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Bureau of Public Roads, the Federal Highway Administration as Regional Administrator, during which time he served as Regional Federal Council chairman and Federal Executive Board chairman. He served as Regional Representative of the U.S. Department of Transportation during the administrations of Presidents Nixon, Ford and Carter.
From 1979-1987, he served as the Kansas Secretary of Transportation, and thereafter, was elected to the Prairie Village (Kansas) City Council for an additional 11 years.
Mr. Kemp received a B.A. in Economics and Sociology from the University of Montana and his B.S. in Engineering and a M.S. in Engineering Valuation from Iowa State University.
He was named one of America?s Top Ten Public Works Leaders in 1982 and holds bronze, silver and gold medals from U.S. Department of Transportation. He was honored as a distinguished alumnus of the University of Montana in 1985. In 1971 he was featured as the Exceptional Parent of the Year by the National Easter Seal Society.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife of 7 years, Kathryn Lally Kemp, his sister, Peggy Wagner, and his second wife of 37 years, E. Joan Stacey Kemp of Prairie Village, KS.
Survivors include three children and their spouses: Kathryn (Kemp) and Dr. Thomas Lehmann, Mary (Kemp) and Dr. Cal Ray Harding, all of Louisville, KY, and John D. and Sameta Kemp of Washington, DC; two stepdaughters and their spouses: Sue Stacey and Brad Meinhold of St. Paul, MN and Beth (Stacey) and Dave Cicha, and daughter, Christine, of Overland Park, KS. Also surviving are Mr. Kemp?s four grandchildren: Dr. Will Lehmann and wife, Sarah; Hans Lehmann and wife; Ruth, John (Nick) Titus and wife, Julie; and Dr. Lally Lehmann; and three great-grandchildren.
Mr. Kemp is also survived by his twin sisters, R. Doris Moreno and Dorothy K. D. Boos, both of Billings, MT, and his brother, Dr. R. W. (Bob) Kemp and his wife, Judy, of Williston, ND, and a devoted number of nieces and nephews.
He was born on August 14, 1918, the oldest of five children of John Bert and Margaret (Little) Kemp, who were homesteaders on their farm near Scobey, MT.
Services will be at St Ann?s Catholic Church, Prairie Village, KS on Tuesday, June 10, 2008 at 11 a.m. Visitation will be from 10-11 a.m. prior to the service, at the church. Arrangements are being handled by D.W. Newcomer?s Sons, Overland Park, KS. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial gifts be donated to the national headquarters of Easter Seals, 230 West Monroe St., Suite 1800, Chicago, IL 60606.
Mr. Kemp was a highly distinguished and deeply dedicated public servant, with 63 continuous years of public service, first as a U.S. Navy Lieutenant in World War II, followed by a career in transportation and public works including the Army Corps of Engineers, U.S. Bureau of Public Roads, the Federal Highway Administration as Regional Administrator, during which time he served as Regional Federal Council chairman and Federal Executive Board chairman. He served as Regional Representative of the U.S. Department of Transportation during the administrations of Presidents Nixon, Ford and Carter.
From 1979-1987, he served as the Kansas Secretary of Transportation, and thereafter, was elected to the Prairie Village (Kansas) City Council for an additional 11 years.
Mr. Kemp received a B.A. in Economics and Sociology from the University of Montana and his B.S. in Engineering and a M.S. in Engineering Valuation from Iowa State University.
He was named one of America?s Top Ten Public Works Leaders in 1982 and holds bronze, silver and gold medals from U.S. Department of Transportation. He was honored as a distinguished alumnus of the University of Montana in 1985. In 1971 he was featured as the Exceptional Parent of the Year by the National Easter Seal Society.
He was preceded in death by his parents, his first wife of 7 years, Kathryn Lally Kemp, his sister, Peggy Wagner, and his second wife of 37 years, E. Joan Stacey Kemp of Prairie Village, KS.
Survivors include three children and their spouses: Kathryn (Kemp) and Dr. Thomas Lehmann, Mary (Kemp) and Dr. Cal Ray Harding, all of Louisville, KY, and John D. and Sameta Kemp of Washington, DC; two stepdaughters and their spouses: Sue Stacey and Brad Meinhold of St. Paul, MN and Beth (Stacey) and Dave Cicha, and daughter, Christine, of Overland Park, KS. Also surviving are Mr. Kemp?s four grandchildren: Dr. Will Lehmann and wife, Sarah; Hans Lehmann and wife; Ruth, John (Nick) Titus and wife, Julie; and Dr. Lally Lehmann; and three great-grandchildren.
Mr. Kemp is also survived by his twin sisters, R. Doris Moreno and Dorothy K. D. Boos, both of Billings, MT, and his brother, Dr. R. W. (Bob) Kemp and his wife, Judy, of Williston, ND, and a devoted number of nieces and nephews.
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