Gerald "Jerry" Hendrick Kemper

Gerald “Jerry” Hendrick Kemper joined the afterlife in the early morning hours of Friday, March 1st, 2024.

Jerry Kemper was born December 11th, 1952 in Marshall, Texas to parents Thomas Watson Kemper and Huberta Juanita Hendrick. He grew up in Marshall, Texas with his big brother Tuck and doting sisters, Sue and Kathy. He graduated from Marshall High School in 1971 where he had created and forged some of the friendships he would keep for life.

Jerry later went on to have two beautiful children, Kelly in 1973 and Bonnye in 1977. He graduated from Stephen F. Austin in 1975. After graduation from college, he found work as an artist, utilizing his photography skills for graphic designs and ads before any editing on computers was even available. He then began his 30+ year career in the transportation industry in operations management supporting his family tirelessly. Following his career transfers, Jerry and his family moved from Marshall to College Station until settling in Flower Mound, Texas in 1988. After decades of dedication to his career, Jerry felt blessed to be able to retire at age of 62.

On May 22nd, 2009, Jerry married the love of his life, Kelly Anne Young. Together they loved on their pets, Maggie Bea, Hooper, Gus, and Buddy, to name a few. They traveled to Europe, Colorado, Wyoming and all the places Jerry loved most, including family visits across the country. Jerry and Kelly moved to Colorado in 2022, and in that beautiful state, with Kelly and his pets, Jerry was able to live his most peaceful life near his daughter and granddaughter; retired while enjoying all that he loved.

Jerry was an avid cyclist, gifted photographer (especially of those he loved and wildlife), a dedicated golfer, an intrigued reader, an insightful artist, and one hell of a cook. Jerry loved to explore his hobbies and share them with his family. No one in the world made a “Pawp Latte” quite like he did. When Jerry was unexpectedly and devastatingly taken from us, he was on his bicycle, in the mountains of Colorado doing what he enjoyed most, outside of loving his family.

His true pride and joy were his two daughters, Kelly and Bonnye. He adored them and loved each admirably and fiercely. He instilled in them the importance of work ethic. “Life is one big sales job. Show up every day, on time, ready to work.” He taught them to stay vigilant on the roads and in bad weather, as one of his greatest fears in life was his girls be in the world without his protection. He surrounded his girls with the most valuable life lessons, always reminding them to cherish any time they were granted with their elders. He taught his girls, and modeled expertly for them, the discipline and joys of golf and fostered a true love of the game. He passed on his love for the arts to his children and his children’s children, most memorably in his pencil renditions of Granddaddy Hendrick, his wildlife photography, his knack for creating the silliest songs for your pets, and his respect for films like The Godfather, Tombstone, and Lonesome Dove.

Later in life, his daughters gifted him with some of the greatest joys of his life, his grandchildren, Meredith, Kyle, and Vail Summer. He loved attending, and made an intentional point to be at, as many of their activities as he possibly could be, such as Grandparents’ Day at school, band concerts, any and all kinds of sports games and even the birth of his great grandchildren. Jerry, “Uncle Boo”, was the king of nicknames. Anyone he met or loved was coined a nickname. Non Le Bon, Ole Kel, Baby Bon, Merd da Bird, Ky da Pie, T, Big Joe, V and all of the “bad dawgs” were affectionately and forever named by our most loved Daddy/Pawpaw/Pawp.

Jerry is preceded in death by his parents, Huberta and Thomas W. Kemper, and his older brother, Tuck Kemper. Jerry is survived by his best friend and devoted wife, Kelly Kemper, his children, Kelly Ann Kemper, and Bonnye Lynn Kemper Carter and her husband Kyle, his sisters, Sue Boyd and her husband Dick, and Kathy Kemper (Jimmy Pyle), his grandchildren, Meredith Kendall, Kyle Kendall, and Vail Summer Beck, his countless nieces and nephews, and his great grandchildren, Travis, Joseph, and Hayden Mae.

The family has chosen to memorialize Jerry with a private, family-only gathering. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made in his memory to the National Park Foundation.

“The best thing you can do for death is ride off from it.”

–Woodrow F. Call, Lonesome Dove

DTEYK

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