Marshall Ryan Kemp

Marshall Ryan Kemp of Adairville and Olmstead died on Friday afternoon, October 9, 2015, from injuries suffered in an automobile accident in Danville, Kentucky. He was born the son of Marshall H. Kemp and the late Cynthia Mason Kemp on October 22, 1984 in Russellville, Kentucky. Ryan was a 2009 (December) graduate of Western Kentucky University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Broadcast Communications (Television Production) and a minor in English (Writing), and he also studied Folklore. He was a participant in the Improv group Happy Gas for several years at WKU and even performed the role of Zeus in a drama department production during one of his senior years. Ryan was also a 2003 graduate of Logan County High School, where he was an actively involved member in the percussion section of the Marching Band, Concert Band, Pep Band, Jazz Band, and also the Student Council on which he served two terms as Student Council President. He was the first student at Logan County High School to serve as Student Council President as a lower classman and also the first to serve two terms.

Ryan Kemp was a member of Trinity Episcopal Church in Russellville. He was also the founder of the Western Kentucky Ghostbuster Chapter (2003). In the past few years Kemp was very involved in the groups Improv Anonymous and Project Improv in Louisville and often performed at The Bard's Town on Bardstown Road. Ryan was also a life-time member of the Western Kentucky University Alumni Association. In addition every year after his graduation from college, Ryan studied for a week or two weeks each summer at The Second City Training Center in Chicago, Illinois where his studies included comedy writing, performing, and improvisation. Kemp also did charity work in his role as a Ghostbuster as well as participated in a number of parades throughout Kentucky.

Ryan is survived by his father Marshall H. Kemp, his aunt Mona Kemp Pasto (Don), his first cousin Amber Dawn Ragland Wilde (Mason), two great aunts Joyce Strickler Miller (Roy) and Ruby Glen Strickler Kirby as well as a number of other relatives and friends. He was proceeded in death by his mother Cynthia (2001) and his grandparents Marshall Hadden Kemp, Sr. (1980), Florence Rebecca Holman Kemp (2000), Lorraine Strickler Mason (2006) and Thomas Ryan Mason (2008).

Arrangements for Marshall Ryan Kemp are as follows: visitation from 3:30 to 9 p.m. on Thursday, October 15th, at Summers, Kirby, and Sanders Funeral Home in Russellville; a graveside service in Maple Grove Cemetery in Russellville on October 16th at 3:30 p.m.; and a memorial service in honor of Ryan Kemp will be conducted at Trinity Episcopal Church on Saturday, October 17th at 5 p.m. with the family receiving friends and relatives in the church parish house after the service. Memorials should take the form of contributions to a scholarship fund in his name for the Logan County Schools or to the Trinity Episcopal Church Memorial Fund in his honor. Summers, Kirby, and Sanders Funeral Home of Russellville is in charge of the funeral arrangements.