John Kemplin was born in the Wolf Ridge Community near Gainesville, Texas, the fourth of six children of Willard and Pearl Kemplin.
The experience of growing up on a farm during the lean years of the 1920s and 1930s shaped a life philosophy of hard work, thrift, practicality and resilience.
Willard Kemplin was a resourceful and successful farmer and Pearl was a former schoolteacher; they imparted to their family the importance of living a life of Christian service and developing one's intelligence through education.
John and his brothers and sisters attended the one-room schoolhouse in the Wolf Ridge Community and went on to graduate from Gainesville High School. John had worked on the railroad and attended the University of North Texas, majoring in chemistry, when the United States entered World War II. Having never left the surroundings of Cooke County, John soon found himself a naval officer in combat in the South Pacific. While on leave in Washington, D.C., he met and married a fellow Texas, Navy WAVE Maxine Jordan from Amarillo.
After the war, the couple lived in Kirksville, Missouri, where John completed medical school at the Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine. The couple then settled in Amarillo; the marriage was blessed with two children, Camille and Steven. After almost a decade of general practice, John accepted a residency in radiology in Fort Worth. The family attended West Berry Church of Christ, where John served as a deacon, taught a Bible class, and supported the work of Christ's Haven for Children.
For many years, John supervised the radiology department at Fort Worth Osteopathic Hospital and became a professor at the University of North Texas Health Science Center. John continues in that capacity for several years after his marriage to Billie Aiken Brock. In retirement, John and Billie worked together, investing in real estate and mentoring their families. During that time some of John's interests included teaching computer classes, World Bible School, Mission Printing, teaching Bible classes at Alta Mesa Church of Christ and Western Hills Church of Christ, gardening, and fixing up rental properties. The list would be long of those John and Billie befriended and helped. Both John's and Billie's children treasured their friendship, wise counsel and support. His "cracker-barrel" philosophy and stories encouraged and motivated not only his immediate family but a host of nieces, nephews and friends.
John is survived and remembered fondly by his brother, Carl Kemplin, of Valley View; by his daughter Camille Dean and husband Roger and his son Steve and wife Sondra, all of Fort Worth; and by his step-daughter Linda Brock Powell, of Granbury. There are seven grandchildren: David Dean, Robin Burgess, Valerie Kammer, Caryn Emmons, Amalia Kemplin, Molly Stiles and Melanie Dunn. There are nine great grandchildren: Liam Dean, Miller Vititow, Adrienne Burgess, Andrew Powell, Benjamin Spencer, Ruby Stiles, Roxy Stiles, Phoebe Dunn and Henry Dunn.
The experience of growing up on a farm during the lean years of the 1920s and 1930s shaped a life philosophy of hard work, thrift, practicality and resilience.
Willard Kemplin was a resourceful and successful farmer and Pearl was a former schoolteacher; they imparted to their family the importance of living a life of Christian service and developing one's intelligence through education.
John and his brothers and sisters attended the one-room schoolhouse in the Wolf Ridge Community and went on to graduate from Gainesville High School. John had worked on the railroad and attended the University of North Texas, majoring in chemistry, when the United States entered World War II. Having never left the surroundings of Cooke County, John soon found himself a naval officer in combat in the South Pacific. While on leave in Washington, D.C., he met and married a fellow Texas, Navy WAVE Maxine Jordan from Amarillo.
After the war, the couple lived in Kirksville, Missouri, where John completed medical school at the Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine. The couple then settled in Amarillo; the marriage was blessed with two children, Camille and Steven. After almost a decade of general practice, John accepted a residency in radiology in Fort Worth. The family attended West Berry Church of Christ, where John served as a deacon, taught a Bible class, and supported the work of Christ's Haven for Children.
For many years, John supervised the radiology department at Fort Worth Osteopathic Hospital and became a professor at the University of North Texas Health Science Center. John continues in that capacity for several years after his marriage to Billie Aiken Brock. In retirement, John and Billie worked together, investing in real estate and mentoring their families. During that time some of John's interests included teaching computer classes, World Bible School, Mission Printing, teaching Bible classes at Alta Mesa Church of Christ and Western Hills Church of Christ, gardening, and fixing up rental properties. The list would be long of those John and Billie befriended and helped. Both John's and Billie's children treasured their friendship, wise counsel and support. His "cracker-barrel" philosophy and stories encouraged and motivated not only his immediate family but a host of nieces, nephews and friends.
John is survived and remembered fondly by his brother, Carl Kemplin, of Valley View; by his daughter Camille Dean and husband Roger and his son Steve and wife Sondra, all of Fort Worth; and by his step-daughter Linda Brock Powell, of Granbury. There are seven grandchildren: David Dean, Robin Burgess, Valerie Kammer, Caryn Emmons, Amalia Kemplin, Molly Stiles and Melanie Dunn. There are nine great grandchildren: Liam Dean, Miller Vititow, Adrienne Burgess, Andrew Powell, Benjamin Spencer, Ruby Stiles, Roxy Stiles, Phoebe Dunn and Henry Dunn.
John Kemplin was born in the Wolf Ridge Community near Gainesville, Texas, the fourth of six children of Willard and Pearl Kemplin.
The experience of growing up on a farm during the lean years of the 1920s and 1930s shaped a life philosophy of hard work, thrift, practicality and resilience.
Willard Kemplin was a resourceful and successful farmer and Pearl was a former schoolteacher; they imparted to their family the importance of living a life of Christian service and developing one's intelligence through education.
John and his brothers and sisters attended the one-room schoolhouse in the Wolf Ridge Community and went on to graduate from Gainesville High School. John had worked on the railroad and attended the University of North Texas, majoring in chemistry, when the United States entered World War II. Having never left the surroundings of Cooke County, John soon found himself a naval officer in combat in the South Pacific. While on leave in Washington, D.C., he met and married a fellow Texas, Navy WAVE Maxine Jordan from Amarillo.
After the war, the couple lived in Kirksville, Missouri, where John completed medical school at the Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine. The couple then settled in Amarillo; the marriage was blessed with two children, Camille and Steven. After almost a decade of general practice, John accepted a residency in radiology in Fort Worth. The family attended West Berry Church of Christ, where John served as a deacon, taught a Bible class, and supported the work of Christ's Haven for Children.
For many years, John supervised the radiology department at Fort Worth Osteopathic Hospital and became a professor at the University of North Texas Health Science Center. John continues in that capacity for several years after his marriage to Billie Aiken Brock. In retirement, John and Billie worked together, investing in real estate and mentoring their families. During that time some of John's interests included teaching computer classes, World Bible School, Mission Printing, teaching Bible classes at Alta Mesa Church of Christ and Western Hills Church of Christ, gardening, and fixing up rental properties. The list would be long of those John and Billie befriended and helped. Both John's and Billie's children treasured their friendship, wise counsel and support. His "cracker-barrel" philosophy and stories encouraged and motivated not only his immediate family but a host of nieces, nephews and friends.
John is survived and remembered fondly by his brother, Carl Kemplin, of Valley View; by his daughter Camille Dean and husband Roger and his son Steve and wife Sondra, all of Fort Worth; and by his step-daughter Linda Brock Powell, of Granbury. There are seven grandchildren: David Dean, Robin Burgess, Valerie Kammer, Caryn Emmons, Amalia Kemplin, Molly Stiles and Melanie Dunn. There are nine great grandchildren: Liam Dean, Miller Vititow, Adrienne Burgess, Andrew Powell, Benjamin Spencer, Ruby Stiles, Roxy Stiles, Phoebe Dunn and Henry Dunn.
The experience of growing up on a farm during the lean years of the 1920s and 1930s shaped a life philosophy of hard work, thrift, practicality and resilience.
Willard Kemplin was a resourceful and successful farmer and Pearl was a former schoolteacher; they imparted to their family the importance of living a life of Christian service and developing one's intelligence through education.
John and his brothers and sisters attended the one-room schoolhouse in the Wolf Ridge Community and went on to graduate from Gainesville High School. John had worked on the railroad and attended the University of North Texas, majoring in chemistry, when the United States entered World War II. Having never left the surroundings of Cooke County, John soon found himself a naval officer in combat in the South Pacific. While on leave in Washington, D.C., he met and married a fellow Texas, Navy WAVE Maxine Jordan from Amarillo.
After the war, the couple lived in Kirksville, Missouri, where John completed medical school at the Kirksville College of Osteopathic Medicine. The couple then settled in Amarillo; the marriage was blessed with two children, Camille and Steven. After almost a decade of general practice, John accepted a residency in radiology in Fort Worth. The family attended West Berry Church of Christ, where John served as a deacon, taught a Bible class, and supported the work of Christ's Haven for Children.
For many years, John supervised the radiology department at Fort Worth Osteopathic Hospital and became a professor at the University of North Texas Health Science Center. John continues in that capacity for several years after his marriage to Billie Aiken Brock. In retirement, John and Billie worked together, investing in real estate and mentoring their families. During that time some of John's interests included teaching computer classes, World Bible School, Mission Printing, teaching Bible classes at Alta Mesa Church of Christ and Western Hills Church of Christ, gardening, and fixing up rental properties. The list would be long of those John and Billie befriended and helped. Both John's and Billie's children treasured their friendship, wise counsel and support. His "cracker-barrel" philosophy and stories encouraged and motivated not only his immediate family but a host of nieces, nephews and friends.
John is survived and remembered fondly by his brother, Carl Kemplin, of Valley View; by his daughter Camille Dean and husband Roger and his son Steve and wife Sondra, all of Fort Worth; and by his step-daughter Linda Brock Powell, of Granbury. There are seven grandchildren: David Dean, Robin Burgess, Valerie Kammer, Caryn Emmons, Amalia Kemplin, Molly Stiles and Melanie Dunn. There are nine great grandchildren: Liam Dean, Miller Vititow, Adrienne Burgess, Andrew Powell, Benjamin Spencer, Ruby Stiles, Roxy Stiles, Phoebe Dunn and Henry Dunn.
Family Members
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
Explore more
Sponsored by Ancestry
Advertisement
