Robert Kempf

Robert Charles Kempf, 86, of Red Wing, died Monday, January 19, 2009, at his home surrounded by his family, after an eight week illness. He was born on February 23, 1922, in St. Paul, Minnesota to Clarence and Ethel (Anderson) Kempf. In January of 1935, while he was in the 7th grade, his family moved to Red Wing. He graduated in 1940 from Red Wing Central High and was senior class president. He served in the US Navy from August 25, 1942 to December 15, 1945, during World War II. He was on the USS Sailfish and was presented with the Presidential Unit Citation for highly successful 10th patrol. On April 27, 1946, he was married to Marcella Bjornstad at United Lutheran Church. From 1947-1984 he was in partnership with Kask Electric. After his retirement in 1984, he and Marcella moved to a lake home on Church Pine Lake near Amery, Wisconsin. They returned to Red Wing in 1994. He was a member of United Lutheran Church, where he had served on the church council and was an usher, the Leo C. American Legion Post #54, a past member of the National Electrical Contractors Association and Electrical Union Health and Welfare Board, YMCA board of directors, Red Wing Country Club board, and the US Submarine Vets. He also volunteered with the Fairview Red Wing Medical Center valet parking and played shortstop for the Red Wing Aces for 10 years. He enjoyed hunting, fishing, golfing, painting and doing cartooning for the Republican Eagle.


Survivors include his wife, Marcella; one daughter, Sue (Jim) Van Deusen of Red Wing; two sons, Charles (Sue) Kempf of Ham Lake and John (Jane) Kempf Brooklyn Park and four grandchildren, Tess (Jay) Barry of Edina, Brandon Kempf of Las Vegas and Tony and Bridget Kempf both of Brooklyn Park. He was preceded in death by his parents.

Memorial service will be 12 noon Friday, January 23, 2009, at United Lutheran Church with Rev. Randall Johnson officiating. Burial with military honors will be in the Oakwood Cemetery. Honorary pallbearers will be his grandchildren. Visitation will be from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. with a 7 p.m. legion prayer service on Thursday at Mahn Family Funeral Home, Bodelson-Mahn Chapel and at the church for one hour prior to the service. Memorials are preferred to the church, Fairview Red Wing Hospice, or Hedin-Hartnagel Fund. The family wishes to sincerely thank Fairview Red Wing Hospice for their care and his many friends who came to visit him during these past eight weeks.