After a life well-lived, filled with hard work and creativity, Robert A. Kempski, DDS, 94, left this life to join his beloved late wife, Eleanor. He leaves behind a legacy of craftsmanship, mechanical genius and litany of entertaining (and sometimes cringe-worthy) stories to those who survived him. Bob was born in 1924 in Grand Rapids, Michigan to John and Estella Kempski, the youngest sibling of Berton, Julian and Helen. After attending Calvin College, he graduated from the University of Michigan Dental School, surviving the torture of scalloped potatoes “every single day” inflicted upon him by the cook at the Phi Delta Fraternity in Ann Arbor. He served his country in Korea with the US Navy, whom he held responsible for the loss of his hair due to the hat he had to wear. It was at Great Lakes Naval Station that he met Ensign Eleanor Owens of the Naval Nursing Corps and married her after a three-month courtship. The union of 64 years produced three children and a zoo-seized collection of pets from dogs to ducks. He established a dental practice in SE Grand Rapids, sometimes taking eggs, produce or $1 a week for services rendered. His evening and weekend activities consisted of providing a plethora of entertainment options for his own and neighboring kids, including building and maintaining baseball diamonds, establishing Little League teams, spotlights for the driveway basketball court and backyard volleyball, hockey rink and swimming pool. Through it all was the constant, “Don’t hit anyone in the mouth or I’ve gotta go to work.” Inevitably, that was the case on more than one occasion. After retirement, he and Eleanor found themselves bored because golf, fishing, boating, babysitting, lawn work, rebuilding and repairing children’s homes didn’t keep them busy enough. They began creating and building nutcrackers of all shapes, sizes and designs, ultimately selling them to collectors around the world all the while, buying every conceivable item with a nutcracker design to wear, eat from or sit on. His loves, beyond family, included his dog, Mr. Snuggles, biscuits and gravy (only from New Beginnings Restaurant), Fox News and jigsaw puzzles. He was a discerning man with particular tastes about food, politics, and rules of life. (Understatement!). He never missed an opportunity to impart his preferences and waitresses throughout metro Grand Rapids understood the drill and generally looked forward to the banter. One of his great desires later in life was that cooks and chefs would finally learn that the gravy goes ON the food, not under both the meat and potatoes. He will be missed by his children, John (Mary), Marilyn (Tom) Collins and Brian (Nanette), grandchildren Brad, Kelly (David), Katie (Doug), Elizabeth (Terry), Jimmy (Marah), Allison (Joe), Nathan, Hayley (Brett) and 11 great-grandchildren, as well as Mr. Snuggles and Chivas Regal, whose profits will certainly be impacted. There will be a time of visitation from 1:30 p.m. until 2:30 p.m. on Monday, May 6, 2019, at Pederson Funeral Home, 127 N. Monroe Street NE, Rockford, MI 49341. The celebration of life will take place at 2:30 p.m. following the visitation. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Republican National Committee for the re-election of Donald Trump-no kidding, it was his things! You could also make a memorial contribution to a charity of your choosing. To send flowers or a memorial gift to the family of Robert A. Kempski DDS please visit our Sympathy Store.
Our most sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Robert A Kempski DDS September 21 1924 May 3 2019.
Death notice for the town of: Rockford, state: Michigan