Vera Pearl Kemp, 93, musical director and organist for the American Passion Play for 35 years, died at 4:35 a.m. yesterday (Dec. 16, 1989) at American Healthcare Center after a long illness. Mrs. Kemp, 510 Broadway, Normal, formerly lived at 410 E. Washington St., Bloomington. Her funeral will be at 1 p.m. Monday at Kibler-Smith Memorial Home, Bloomington, the Rev. Robert T. Howard officiating. Burial will be in Dyche Cemetery, London, Ky., on Tuesday. There will be no visitation. She was born Dec. 19, 1895, at London, Ky., a daughter of James Harvey and Cora Ridge Pearl. She is survived by several cousins. Mrs. Kemp was the organist for the annual Barbershop Show for 42 years and was the organist at the former Flinspach-Kurth and Kibler-Smith Memorial Home for more than 40 years. Mrs. Kemp, a member of the First Baptist Church, Bloomington, was the official organist for several churches in her career, including First Christian Church and First Baptist Church, Bloomington, and First Baptist Church of Normal. She attended Nazareth Music College, Louisville, and the Arthur Foote Music School in Boston. She taught music in London, Ky., before moving to Bloomington in 1927. She taught organ and musical theory at Illinois Wesleyan University, before organizing the Vera Pearl Kemp Ensemble, a chamber orchestra with singers. The ensemble gave concerts all over the central United States. Memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church.
The Pantagraph (Bloomington, Illinois) 17 Dec 1989, Sun • Page 41
The Pantagraph (Bloomington, Illinois) 17 Dec 1989, Sun • Page 41
Vera Pearl Kemp, 93, musical director and organist for the American Passion Play for 35 years, died at 4:35 a.m. yesterday (Dec. 16, 1989) at American Healthcare Center after a long illness. Mrs. Kemp, 510 Broadway, Normal, formerly lived at 410 E. Washington St., Bloomington. Her funeral will be at 1 p.m. Monday at Kibler-Smith Memorial Home, Bloomington, the Rev. Robert T. Howard officiating. Burial will be in Dyche Cemetery, London, Ky., on Tuesday. There will be no visitation. She was born Dec. 19, 1895, at London, Ky., a daughter of James Harvey and Cora Ridge Pearl. She is survived by several cousins. Mrs. Kemp was the organist for the annual Barbershop Show for 42 years and was the organist at the former Flinspach-Kurth and Kibler-Smith Memorial Home for more than 40 years. Mrs. Kemp, a member of the First Baptist Church, Bloomington, was the official organist for several churches in her career, including First Christian Church and First Baptist Church, Bloomington, and First Baptist Church of Normal. She attended Nazareth Music College, Louisville, and the Arthur Foote Music School in Boston. She taught music in London, Ky., before moving to Bloomington in 1927. She taught organ and musical theory at Illinois Wesleyan University, before organizing the Vera Pearl Kemp Ensemble, a chamber orchestra with singers. The ensemble gave concerts all over the central United States. Memorials may be made to the First Baptist Church.
The Pantagraph (Bloomington, Illinois) 17 Dec 1989, Sun • Page 41
The Pantagraph (Bloomington, Illinois) 17 Dec 1989, Sun • Page 41
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