Fannie Belle Kemp

1917 - 2014

SAN ANGELO Fannie was born in Kingsville, Texas, on June 13, 1917. Her parents were Joseph Israel Kemp and Pearl Hampton Kemp. She had a twin brother, Joe Hampton Kemp, who died in June 2001. Fannie was also preceded in death by her three sisters, Amber Wiley of San Angelo, Jocelyn Higgins of Houston and Ola Mae Martin of San Angelo. When she and her brother were two years old, the family moved to Comanche County. Fannie received her elementary education in the DeLeon public schools. During the Great Depression the family moved to Santa Rita, N.M. Fannie joined the Girl Scouts and enjoyed many hikes and camping trips. She had one year of college at the New Mexico Teachers College before moving back to Texas. Fannie entered nursing training at Memorial Hospital, Houston. She worked for the hospital and Humble Oil & Refining Co., Baytown, before World War II began. She joined the Army Nurse Corps and received her first course in anesthesia at Brooke Army General Hospital, Fort Sam Houston and San Antonio. After the war was over, she earned a degree in science. She went to Johns Hopkins Hospital, Baltimore, and completed another course in anesthesia. She gave anesthesia for 30 years, the last 25 of which were at Breckenridge Hospital, Austin. Fannie loved music and poetry. She supported the San Angelo Symphony for years. She was a member of San Angelo Chapter #10 Order of the Eastern Star and St. Paul Presbyterian Church. She is survived by her brother-in-law, Tom Martin of San Angelo. Fannie had two nephews and two nieces, Kerry Kemp and wife Cindy of Tucson, Ariz., Jake Robert Higgins of Redwood City, Calif., Jocelyn Anne Higgins of Houston and Frances Whipple and husband John of Portland, Maine. She also had a godchild Suzan Bryant and husband Richard of St. Thomas, Virgin Islands. Funeral service will be at 10 a.m. Friday, March 7, 2014, in Johnson's Funeral Home chapel with the Rev. Tim Davenport-Herbst and the Rev. Glenda Harbert officiating. Graveside service will be at 11 a.m. Saturday, March 8, 2014, in Oakwood Cemetery in Waco, Texas. Family and friends may sign an online register book at johnsons-funeralhome.com.