Orville J. Kempers

Orville J. Kempers, 82, of Sioux Center died Wednesday, December 27, 2006 at his residence.

Memorial services will be Saturday, December 30, 2006 at 10:30am at First Reformed Church of Sioux Center with Reverend Roger Voskuil and Reverend Arnie Punt officiating. Interment will be held prior in Memory Gardens Cemetery of Sioux Center.

Visitation will be Friday, December 29, 2006 from 4-8pm with the family present from 6-8pm at Memorial Funeral Home of Sioux Center.

A prayer service will be held Saturday, December 30, 2006 at 9:30am in the Chapel of First Reformed Church of Sioux Center.

Orville John Kempers was born on June 2, 1924 to Gerrit and Sadie (Scholten) Kempers, and raised on the family farm NE of Sioux Center. He attended country school, and often spoke of the days he missed for picking corn by hand.

He married Esther Bosch on August 15, 1946. Their six children were raised on the Kempers Century farm. Orville and Esther moved to town in 1978.

Orville was a lifetime member of First Reformed Church where he served on the consistory. He also served on the REC board of directors for 22 years.

He was well-known for his purebred spotted hog business. Yearly hog sales were well-attended by Hog Breeders from great distances. In 1996 he was inducted into the Spotted Breeders Hall of Fame at the Iowa State Fair.

Favorite pastimes included bowling, fishing, and socializing with his friends. Orv and Esther enjoyed listening to their family sing and attending basketball games together.

Orville is survived by his wife, Esther of 60 years, sons and daughters-in-law, Karl and Gloria Kempers, and Rog and Sheryl Kempers of Sioux Center, Les and Fatima Kempers of Hawaii; daughters and sons-in-law, Eunice and Bill Senyard of Pennsylvania, Janet and Doug Boone, and Kathy and Mark Sneller of Sioux Center; along with 21 grandchildren. Orville has one sister, Joan Bultje of Mitchell, SD and one sister-in-law, Rosemary Taylor of Ames, IA.

He was preceded in death by his parents, two brothers, John and Gary, and one brother-in-law, John Bultje.