Jerrold "Jerry" Kemp

1921 - 2015

Jerrold "Jerry" Kemp
April 23, 1921 - November 26, 2015
Resident of Fairfield, California
Jerrold "Jerry" Kemp, 94, passed away November 26, 2015, at Paradise Valley Estates in Fairfield, California.
A memorial service will be held at 10 am on Sunday, Dec. 13 at Paradise Valley Estates, 2600 Estates Drive, Fairfield, CA 94533.
Jerry was a WWII veteran, a USAF retired Lieutenant Colonel, a professor at San Jose State University, and a leader in the field of instructional design. He was extraordinarily fit, hiking and maintaining an apple orchard until he was 89 years old. 
Jerry was a devoted husband and leaves his wife of 17 years, Edith Ankersmit, as well as Edith's daughter Lauren Ankersmit (partner Rigo Dillon) and daughter Malayka Gormally (husband Tom and son Conor Gormally). Jerry also leaves his niece and nephew, Deborah Kemp and Ira Kemp, the son and daughter of his late brother Nelson H. Kemp. Also devoted to Jerry is Edith's sister-in-law Audrey Leff, her sons Ian and Obie Leff, and their families.
Born in New York City on April 23, 1921, Jerry was the son of Clementine (Baum) and Irving Kemp. In his early years, Jerry spent summers at Camp Mooween in Lebanon, Connecticut. It remained one of his fondest memories and fostered his love of the outdoors.
Jerry was a WWII veteran and served in the U.S. Army Air Corps, 65th Airways and Air Communications Service Group, from Nov. 29, 1943 to Jan. 13, 1947. He served as an air traffic controller in the Aleutian Islands, attainting the rank of Captain by the end of the war. He retired from the Air Force reserves with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel on April 23, 1981.
Jerry earned a B.S. in chemistry from the University of Florida (1942) and a M.S. from the University of Miami (1952). He also earned a Doctorate in Instructional Technology from Indiana University (1956), and later endowed the Jerrold E. Kemp Instructional Systems Fellowship Fund for the IU School of Education.
Jerry worked as a high school science teacher and media coordinator in Miami, Florida. He then served as a professor of education at San Jose State University for 30 years, where he also worked as the coordinator of media production and instructional development services. 
Jerry was a pioneer in the field of educational media and technology, and his seminal textbook "Planning and Producing Audio Video Materials," first published in 1963, went through five editions, last published in 1980, and was reprinted in numerous languages.
Jerry consulted at schools, universities, agencies in foreign countries and UNESCO. He is a coauthor of "Designing Effective Instruction," which was based on a textbook Jerry published in 1971 and is now in its 7th edition (2014). Considered one of the world's best textbooks in instructional design, it includes "The Kemp Model of Design Instruction" which Jerry developed in 1985, and which remains an important educational design model.
Jerry served as president of the Association for Educational Communications and Technology (AECT) from 1972-1973. The Jerrold E. Kemp Endowed Lecture Series is an AECT award program established in 2012 to, "honor Dr. Jerrold (Jerry) Kemp and his extensive contributions to the discipline of instructional design."
AECT produced a video interview of Jerry for their Legends and Legacies project. It can be found online at https://youtu.be/IJguILZzNfo
In the words of Dr. Phillip Harris, Executive Director of AECT, "His legacy as a scholar, researcher, and teacher will impact future generations of learners and scholars. His contributions to the field are unique and timeless."
Jerry married Dorothy Gallow in 1949 in Florida and their marriage lasted until her death in 1995. Upon retirement, Jerry moved to Mariposa, California. 
In 1997 Jerry gave his friends a wish list for his ideal woman, and was introduced to Edith Ankersmit, a widow from Berkeley, California. They fell in love, were married in 1998, and were inspired to coauthor and publish the well-received book "Older Couples - New Romances" (2003). Jerry and Edith traveled extensively and were active with the Mariposa Senior Hikers, Mariposa Democratic Club, Mountain Jewish Community, and Sierra Foothill Conservancy. 
At age 89 Jerry published the book "Live Healthy At Any Age," about nutrition and exercise, and he continued hiking in the mountains until he and Edith moved to Fairfield in 2011.
In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Jerry's name to the PVE Employee Appreciation Fund (check payable to RCOS, c/o PVE, 2600 Estates Drive, Fairfield, CA 94533), to the Jerrold Kemp Foundation Award (c/o AECT, 320 W. 8th St., Bloomington, IN 47404), or to the charity of your choice.


View the online memorial for Jerrold "Jerry" Kemp