Joe Lillard Kemp

A lifelong famer, tobacconist, and underground utilities contractor, Mr. Joe Lillard Kemp of the Four-Way Inn Community, made his transition from his earthly journey to eternity at 7:32 p.m. Tuesday evening, October 1, 2024, with his family at his bedside. He had been receiving therapy at the Smith County Health and Rehabilitation Center in Carthage since Monday, September 23rd.
The Kemp family will be receiving friends at the Carthage Chapel of Sanderson Funeral Home only on Thursday, October 3rd from 10 a.m. until 7 p.m. There will be a private family interment for the family only with Eld. Dwight Dyer officiating.
Mr. Kemp was the fourth of five children, a daughter and four sons, born to the late Bonnie Harold (B. H.) Kemp who died January 4, 1976 at the age of 62 and Gladys Beatrice (Miss B.) Sloan Kemp who died December 11, 2007 at the age of 90.
The eldest brother, Harold Kemp preceded Joe Lillard in death at the age of 78 on March 9, 2016.
Joe Lillard was the namesake of his uncle, a highly respected physician, Dr. Lillard R. Sloan.
He was a member of the 1968 graduating class at Smith County High School where his double major was science and agriculture.
In his freshman and sophomore year he was a member of the Latin Club, the sophomore, junior and senior years he was in the Pep Club, in Vo-Ag he was a member of the F.F.A. judging and his senior year was a member of the soils judging team and his junior year was a Baccalaureate usher.
It was stated of him in his senior annual that "The worst of me is known."
In Gallatin on December 20, 1969, he was united in marriage to the love of his life, the former Cathy Lee Smith, a Lafayette native and longtime Smith County High School educator. The ceremony was performed by Dr. Bruce Strawther.
On July 1, 1997 Kemp Brothers Construction Company (K.B.C.) was formed as a corporation that specialized in underground utility construction, concentrating mainly on water and gas line installations and relocations.
Mr. Kemp was saved as a teenager and joined the Pleasant Shade Upper Cumberland Presbyterian Church and after marriage he attended the Testament Primitive Baptist Church in Lafayette where his wife, Cathy holds membership.
Mr. Kemp served with the Tennessee Army Air National Guard during the Vietnam War.
The family was active in the tobacco warehouse business and one of their warehouses burned in the devastating fire in South Carthage which occurred on February 6, 1985 which burned their business, Mixon-Nollner warehouse, Baxter Vaden Coal Co. and Southside Café.
The most important part of Mr. Kemp's life was family and the closeness is evident by the love they all possessed for each other.
Surviving in addition to his wife Cathy of almost fifty-four years are their four children, Leanne Kemp Hesson and husband Philip, Lisa Kemp Harville and husband Jason, Bonnie Kemp, Joe Allen Kemp and wife Lynn McCall Kemp, all of the Four-Way Inn Community; seven grandchildren, William Kemp Hesson and wife Jordan Hudgens Hesson of South Carthage, Grace Caroline Harville, McCall Sloan Kemp, Jackson Brim Kemp, Gabriel Kemp Harville, J. Allen Kemp, and Macon Lynn Kemp all of the Four-Way Inn Community, sister, Emily Kemp Collins of South Carthage; two brothers, Jeff Kemp and wife Connie Shoemake Kemo, Ted Kemp and wife Sonya Taylor Kemp all of the Four-Way Inn Community; one great-grandson, Jacob Kemp Hesson.
The Kemp family requests memorials to either, the Pleasant Shade Cemetery Mowing Fund, the Sanderson Cemetery Mowing Fund, or the Pleasant Shade Fire Department.
Pallbearers: The Kemp family.