Robert Carl Kempf

Robert Carl "Bob" Kempf, 74, of Marysville, Michigan and Jensen Beach, Florida, passed away on January 2, 2026 with his wife and daughter by his side. He was born in Port Huron, Michigan April 20, 1951 to Dr. Charles and Helen Kempf and lived in the Port Huron area most of his life.
He graduated from Port Huron Northern High School in 1969 and attended St. Clair County Community College. He enlisted in the U.S. Army and was a veteran of the Vietnam War. Bob was awarded the Bronze Star and was an honorably discharged disabled veteran.
He married Elaine F. Mears on August 23, 1974 in Newport News, Virginia. After her death in 2012, he married his high school sweetheart Linda S. Mills (Smith) on March 21, 2014, on the beach in Jensen Beach, Florida. He considered himself the luckiest man on earth. (These were Bob's words!)
He graduated from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia with a degree in accounting and was a member of the sailing team.
Following graduate work at the University of Virginia he worked for seven years at Stewart, Beauvais and Whipple CPAs in Port Huron and then for twenty-eight years in the St. Clair County Administrator/Controllers Office, retiring as the Finance Director in 2011.
He was a member and Past President of the Port Huron Rotary Club, a founding member and Past President of the Port Huron Rotary Club Charitable Foundation, a Paul Harris Fellow of Rotary International, a member of the Port Huron First United Methodist Church, a past board member of the March of Dimes in Port Huron where he volunteered for over 50 years and was honored with a Life Time Achievement Award. Bob was a member of the Michigan Municipal Finance Officers Association, a life member of the Vietnam Veterans of America, a life Member of the Disabled Veterans of America, a member of the American Legion and a longtime member of the St. Clair County Community College Accounting Advisory Board. He was a Life Member of Elk's Lodge #343 in Port Huron.
He enjoyed a lifetime of sports including hockey, baseball, golf, tennis and sailing. He enjoyed his Tuesday afternoon golf with good buddies, Randy, Duffy, Jim, Buz and Charlie over the years. He maintained a close relationship with many life-long friends in the Port Huron area and developed new friendships while wintering on Hutchinson Island in Jensen Beach, Florida.
He is survived by his wife, Linda; daughter Laura "Laurabelle" Kempf of Port Huron; grandson, Logan Kempf of Imlay City; granddaughter, Celeste Kempf of Port Huron; sisters Mary Ann Berthiaume of Jackson, Michigan and Nancy Kempf (Bruce Shipman) of Aiken, South Carolina; niece, Kimberly (Justin) Green of Boulder, Colorado; nephew, lan (Joi) Kempf of Imlay City; niece, Aimee (Damon) Stout of Los Angeles, California; and nephew, David (Allyson) Berthiaume of Spring Arbor, Michigan. He is also survived by his sister-in-law Janet Knust of Fort Gratiot; and niece and nephew, Kelly Herms of Linden and Kevin (Lauren) Knust of Stuart, Florida.
He was preceded in death by his parents and brother and sister-in-law, Charles Richard (Dick) Kempf and Christine Kempf.
Visitation will be held on Sunday, January 11, 2026, from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Grace Memorial Life Celebration Center, 4521 Ravenswood Road, Kimball, MI 48074. Military honors will begin at 6:00 p.m. and a celebration of life reception will follow to share memories of Bob and celebrate his wonderful life.
Interment will be in the Imlay Township Cemetery at a later date.
Memorials can be made to the Port Huron Rotary Charitable Foundation, the St. Clair County Community Foundation Veterans Fund or the Blue Water Home Care and Hospice. To send flowers to the family or plant a tree in memory of Robert, please visit our floral store.