William W. Kempe

William W. “Bill” Kempe, M.D. passed away peacefully in his home Sunday, February 18, 2018. He was 89 years old. He is survived by his wife of 67 years, Nina Patsy “Pat” Kempe; his daughter Kathi Kempe Grist and her husband, Greg, of Tampa, FL; his son, Dr. Paul William Kempe and his wife, Susan, of Tulsa, OK; his grandchildren: Ashley Michelle Grist Berman and her husband, Joshua of Tampa, FL; John William Kempe of Denver, CO; David Kenneth Kempe and his wife, Rebecca, of College Station, TX; Caroline Elise Kempe Reasonover and her husband, Logan, of Nashville, TN. Bill is also survived by two great-granddaughters, Amelia and Juliet Berman of Tampa, FL.

A native Dallasite, Bill was born December 28, 1928, to Otto D. and Gladys Rich Kempe. He grew up at Edgefield Church of Christ in Oak Cliff, attended John F. Peeler Elementary School, Greiner Junior High, and graduated Sunset High School in 1946. He then attended Abilene Christian College where he met his future bride, Pat, in their freshman year. He graduated cum laude in 1950 with a Bachelor of Science and continued his educational pursuit at Southwestern Medical School (UTHSCD) in Dallas. His internship was at Baylor Hospital and the old Parkland Hospital located on Oak Lawn. He then joined the U.S. Public Health Service being stationed in Little Rock, AK, followed by a Family Practice Residency in Monroe, LA.

Bill began his medical practice in Dimmit, TX. in 1958 but, being a city-boy, soon moved back to Dallas and practiced at Physicians & Surgeons Clinic on Beckley Ave and in the Methodist Professional Building. He then opened Southwest Dallas Physicians near Methodist Charleton. He retired at age 72, still making the occasional house call and loved by his patients.

Bill had many loves in his life other than his wife, children and grandchildren. He served God faithfully as a deacon at Trinity Heights Church of Christ, at Trinity Oaks Church of Christ, and for 25 years attended Skillman Church of Christ where he worked in many capacities with the senior ministry. In the last few years he attended Cedar Hill Church of Christ whenever he could. For a time he served on the Abilene Christian University Math and Science Advisory Board.

Bill loved music from an early age. He played the clarinet and was drum major at Sunset High School. He loved singing and had a beautiful bass voice. He loved a cappella four-part harmony, hymns, polkas and waltzes, Dixieland jazz, Barbershop, classical and even some country music. He was a season subscriber to the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and the Dallas Summer Musicals.

He loved all things relating to big cities – the skyscrapers, the skylines, the hustle and bustle – especially in Dallas. Consequently, he travelled to nearly all the major cities in the United States, almost always by automobile but occasionally by train, another one of his great loves. After visiting all the other cities he still maintained that Dallas was the hub of the universe!

Everyone who knew Bill, however, knew that his greatest pastime was all things related to fire fighting and fire fighting apparatus – the science of it, the excitement of it, the beauty of the apparatus. He was a founding member of the Box 4 Fire Buff Club in Dallas and frequently attended the annual conventions of both SPAAMFAA and the International Association of Fire Buffs (IAFB). He helped organize and host the IAFB convention each time it was held in Dallas, most recently in 2009. In his younger days, he was the guy responsible for picking up the donuts that Box 4 served to the Dallas fire fighters at fires. He and his good friend, Darrell Scott, owned a thing of beauty – a 1957 Peter Pirsch, open cab, 55 foot aerial hook and ladder truck which can now be seen at the Dallas Fire Museum.

Bill Kempe will be remembered as a loving and generous father, grandfather and Christian; as a well-respected and caring physician by both colleagues and patients; and a collector of people. He seldom went anywhere in Dallas and in many other places without seeing someone he knew or being recognized. He could always sleuth out a connection with new acquaintances. He will be sorely missed.

The memorial service and interment will be at 2:00pm Saturday, February 24, 2018 at the Laurel Land Funeral Home, 6000 South R. L. Thornton Freeway, Dallas. The family considers flowers an honorable tribute but if you would rather make a donation we suggest the organizations below or any charity of your choice:

Program for Humanitarian Aid (PHA) a Christian outreach program serving Ukrainian orphans http://www.programforhumanitarianaid.com

The Dallas Fire Museum http://www.dallasfiremuseum.com

Abilene Christian University http://www.acu.edu