Marion J. Kempers

Marion J. Kempers, 83, of Sioux Center, formerly of Hull, Iowa, died Monday, April 10, 2006 at the Royale Meadows Care Center in Sioux Center.

Funeral Services will be Saturday April 15, 2006 at New Life Reformed Church of Sioux Center at 11:00am with Reverend Carl Boersma officiating. Interment will follow at Hope Cemetery of Hull, IA.

Visitation will be held at Memorial Funeral Home, Friday, April 14, 2006 from 2- 8pm.

To view an online tribute video of Marion's life please click on the following link: http://videos.lifetributes.com/?id=3159

Marion J. Kempers was born December 2, 1922, in Sioux Center, to John and Annie (Rozeboom) Kempers. He was the youngest of their eleven children.

Marion graduated from Sioux Center High School, attended Northwestern Junior College in Orange City, and Central College in Pella, Iowa.

He served with the Marines during World War II serving in the Pacific region and seeing action on Iwo Jima; after his discharge he was employed with the Sioux Center News for three years. He then purchased the Hull Index in 1949, later purchasing the Boyden Reporter. He combined the two papers, calling it the Sioux County Index Reporter, which he operated until selling the business in January of 1970.

In addition to publishing the newspaper he did a lot of commercial printing such as the Concordia, the paper of the Protestant Reformed Church. He published, The Charm and Challenge of Chiapas, Mexico, an informational booklet of the mission work in the state of Chiapas and also printed many cookbooks, calendars, reports, bulletins, family trees, and announcements.

Marion served as City Administrator of the City of Hull for approximately 18 years. He was a member and served as an officer of the Hull Business and Professional Club. He was the secretary of the Sioux County Communications Commission for approximately 12 years. Marion served on the Northwest Iowa Landfill Board. He represented the Sioux County municipalities on the Regional Planning and Development commission. He was a member of the Sioux County Municipal League, serving as secretary-treasurer for many years. He represented the Sioux County municipalities on the executive board. Gov. Robert Ray presented Marion a plaque and a certificate for community leadership, and Gov. Terry Branstad presented a certificate for community service during his years of being City Administrator.

In addition to serving in governmental areas, he served on the Promotion Committee of the Hull Christian School for two years and was president of the Christian School Parent-Teacher Organization for two years.

Marion was married to Geneva Roetman on June 27, 1947. Geneva taught in rural schools and the Sioux Center Christian School until their children were born, when she took over the bookkeeping of the business in their home. Geneva was the librarian at Western Christian High School for 26 1/2 years. When both Marion and Geneva were retired they worked for the Tarko Doll Company, assembling and selling porcelain dolls in Iowa, Indiana, Wisconsin, New York, Arizona and California. They enjoyed traveling and visiting family across the United States. While residents of Hull, the Kempers were members of the First Reformed Church. Marion served as a catechism instructor for many years. After retirement, they moved from Hull to Sioux Center, living in the Carriage House. Geneva passed away on August 21, 1996. After Marion suffered his first stroke in 1998, he resided at Franken Manor and later moved into the nursing wing in January of 2003.

Marion and Geneva were the parents of three sons: Larry and his wife, Shirley of Scottsdale, AZ, David of Colorado Springs, CO, and Jack and his wife, Patti of Indianapolis, IN; seven grandchildren: Heidi Anema, Tami (Lonni) Westphal, Travis (Amanda) Kempers, Alisha and Holly Kempers, Amy and Jack James Kempers; five step grandchildren: Toby Rens, Trisha (Rod) Voss, Heather Brock, Michelle (James) Davis and Ali (Jay) Wuensch; six great grandchildren: Taylor and Emma Westphal, MacKenzie and Tyler Dover, Onalee Kempers and Alexis Kempers; and five step great grandchildren.

Marion was preceded in death by his wife of 49 years Geneva; his parents; and his siblings: Dena (Mrs. Wm. A. Schuiteman), Gerrit (wife, Sadie), Rev. John R. (wife, Mabel), Dr. Bert (wife, Harriet), Minnie (Mrs. Bert Mouw), Johanna (Mrs. Wm. Beernink), Bernard (wife, Marjorie), Lillian (Mrs. Richard Warntjes), and Betty (Mrs. Ed Heneveld).