Betty L. Kemp

   Betty Lou Kemp, age 85, of Mill Spring, passed peacefully to her eternal home in Heaven on Tuesday, November 30th, 2021 at the Clarks Mountain Nursing Center in Piedmont. She was born at home on Bounds Creek near Silva, MO January 11, 1936, the daughter of John Wesley Kiger and Maude Jewell (Malloy) Kiger.

   She was married to Donald Kemp June 8, 1957 in St. Louis and he passed away February 13, 2019. Also preceding her in death are her parents, her beloved son, Wesley Kemp and 4 brothers, Lloyd Lee, Edward, George and Arlie Kiger.

   Survivors include her daughter, Charlotte Kemp, of Mill Spring, one sister, Florence Cook and her husband Onis, of Hiram, nephews, Roger Kemp and Dwayne Greer, nieces, Brenda Price, Kathy Cook, Carolyn Strickland and Carla Burian, many great nieces and great nephews, and her best friend and school mate, Yvonne Shields .

   As a post-Depression Era child, Betty started working at the age of 9, babysitting. At age 11 through high school, Betty worked in two Greenville restaurants, first standing on a box washing dishes, progressing to waitressing to running the cash register, helping cook and selling Greyhound bus tickets. With her earnings, Betty enjoyed buying clothes for her younger sister and brother. At age 18 after graduating from Greenville High School, Betty moved to St. Louis and went to work at L.B. Price Company which sold pots and pans, ironing boards linens, etc. Betty’s job as an office worker was to keep a record of sales to Michigan. Betty and Don met each other as teenagers at the Greenville Ball Park when Don was in town from Fredericktown to play a baseball game. A good friend of the family recently told Charlotte that Don had told him what first attracted him to Betty was how pretty she was and so they began dating. They were married on June 8th, 1957 and in 1959, both age 22, they bought their river valley farm and were a hard-working team for their cow/calf and hog operation and in growing row crops and hay.

   Betty and Don worked jobs off the farm, in part to fund college educations for their children, Charlotte and Wesley. Their off-the-farm work included being the jobbers to pick up and deliver the Daily American Republic, St. Louis Post Dispatch and the St. Louis Globe newspapers. Betty also worked as a cashier at Ward’s Big Star, several years at area factories being Ideal Plastics, Inc., Brown Shoe Company, Piedmont Products and lastly, as the Administrator for the Wayne County Nutrition Center. Betty enjoyed gardening; was a good seamstress and had her own quilting business.

   Betty was a strong, faith-filled woman of God. She was active at Mill Spring Christian Church as a Youth Sunday School Teacher and served on the Board of Trustees. She assisted with VBS and enjoyed music, singing solo, her favorite gospel songs at church were, “In The Garden” and “What A Friend We Have In Jesus”. Betty’s favorite artist was “Elvis” whom she met at his concert and received his autograph.

   The family wishes to thank with deep appreciation to Dr. Andy Gayle and to all the staff at Clark’s Mountain Nursing Center for their love, compassion and excellent care for Betty. Betty is safely home in Heaven with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and is reunited with her Beloved Son, Wesley Charles, who went to Heaven on January 25th, 2007, and with her husband, Don, who went to Heaven on February 13th, 2019.  

   Visitation was held at 12:00 PM Monday at the Morrison Funeral Chapel in Piedmont. A Celebration of Life Service followed at 1:00 PM Monday at the funeral home chapel with Rev. Kevin Kinnard officiating.  Charlotte Kemp gave a loving eulogy for her mother and special recorded songs were played for the service. Roger Kemp, Shawn Price, Brandon Kemp, Joe King, Bob Harrison and Chuck Laxton served as Pall Bearers. Interment was in the Saco Cemetery in Madison County.

Memorials have been requested to the Mill Spring Christian Church or the American Heart Association.

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