Rose Kempkes
Rosella May “Rose” Kempkes, 94, of Sterling passed away on Saturday, August 10, 2024, at Gold Crest Retirement Center in Adams. She was born on October 10, 1929, in Watertown, Wisconsin to Richard and Grace (Dantuma) Kuipers. Rose grew up with six siblings in the Wisconsin area and graduated from Columbus High School in 1947. She married Alfred C. Kempkes on April 19, 1948, at St. Mary Catholic Church in St. Mary, Nebraska. Together they raised eight children. Rose was a farmer’s wife for many years while their children were young and later was employed at Campbell Soup Company in Tecumseh. At the age of 82 she joined the Foster Grandparent Program and was employed at the Sterling School in the pre-school program. She was a longtime member of St. Mary Catholic Church and the Altar Society. She enjoyed traveling, fishing, gardening, canning, baking her famous kolaches, church activities, her grandkids and great-grandkids events, playing cards, and visiting family and friends.
Survivors include her children, Robert (Janice) Kempkes of Sandown, NH, Donald Kempkes of Lincoln, Patricia Harms of Adams, Rose Mary (Darrel) VerMaas of Hickman, Richard (Ardi) Kempkes of Douglas, David (Ann) Kempkes of Imperial, Marilyn Bailey of Dwight, and Christine (Gary) Adams of Berthoud, CO; 18 grandchildren and their spouses; 38 great-grandchildren; sister, Hilda Voigt; sisters-in-law, Arlene Kuipers and Agnes Ullsperger; many nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband, Alfred, who died on May 25, 2010; sons-in-law, Guy Mulder, Ted Bailey, and James Harms; daughter-in-law, Deborah Kempkes; two great-grandsons, Jacob Dugan and Blake Masur; parents, Richard and Grace Kuipers; siblings, Maynard (Gladys) Kuipers, Genevieve (Lawrence) Sauer, Dorothy (George) Yohn, John Kuipers, Martin Voigt, and Richard Kuipers, Jr.; parents-in-law, Anton and Magdalene Kempkes; brothers-in-law, Norman (Joyce) Kempkes and Leo Ullsperger; sisters-in-law, Bernadine (George) Wusk, Loretta (Earl) Miller, and Leona (Joe) Pella.
Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 10:30 A.M on Wednesday, August 14, 2024, at St. Mary Catholic Church of St. Mary with Father Thomas McGuire, Celebrant. Burial will be at the St. Mary Catholic Cemetery. Rosary will be held at 9:30 A.M. on Wednesday at St. Mary Catholic Church. In lieu of flowers, a memorial has been established to the family's choice. The body will lie in state at the Zink-Fox Funeral Home on Tuesday from noon until 8:00 P.M. www.foxfuneralhome.net. Zink-Fox Funeral Home of Sterling is in charge of the arrangements.