Joan Kemp

Joan Lois (Fearon) Kemp, 80, went to be with the Lord on Tuesday, August 12, 2014 from her home after a short but valiant battle with mucosal melanoma. Joan was born in Buffalo, New York on August 25, 1933. She received her diploma (RN) from Massillon City Hospital School of Nursing in 1953. She worked as an operating room nurse at Massillon City Hospital and the Children's Hospital in Cincinnati for a few years and then stayed home to raise her five children. After a move to Houston in 1970, Joan returned to work at Methodist Hospital in 1977 until 1994.
Joan was a member of Beta Sigma Phi, a philanthropic sorority, for more than 54 years and was named Woman the Year this past April. She was a faithful member of Christ the Servant Church for 37 years, serving in many capacities, most recently on the Care Team. She was also a volunteer with Houston Hospice from 1996 to 2005. Joan loved music, singing in the church choir, attending many concerts, and spending family time at the lakehouse. She was a caring friend, neighbor and hostess, and a warm, loving wife, mother and grandmother.
She is survived by her four children - Paul Kemp and wife Ann, Carole Smith and husband Rob, Ellen Carter and husband Braddy, Susan Straub and husband Mike; and three grandchildren - Brian Kemp, Mark Kemp and Kaitlyn Straub. She is also survived by her brother Don Fearon, sister in law Barbara Miller and brother in law Robert Kemp. She is preceded in death by Bill Kemp, her loving husband of 58 years, by her parents Leo and Henrietta Fearon, and her son, Kevin Kemp.
The family lovingly thanks Vitas Hospice as well as Joan's caregivers from Right at Home. A Memorial Service will be held at 1:30 p.m. on Tuesday, August 19th, at Christ the Servant Lutheran Church, 2400 Wilcrest Drive, Houston, TX. Immediately following, all are invited to greet the family during a reception in the fellowship hall. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made in Joan's name to the Melanoma Research Foundation, 1411 K Street NW, Suite 800, Washington, DC 20005 (www.melanoma.org), or to Christ the Servant Lutheran Church, 2400 Wilcrest Drive, Houston, TX 77042, or to the charity of your choice.