Virginia Kempen

Virginia M. Kempen, age 94 of Westfield, was called to the Lord on Sunday, January 5, 2014 at Villa Pines Living Center, Friendship. She was born on July 21, 1919, Ironwood, MI, daughter of the late Herbert and Annie (Birch) Bond. She lived in Michigan for many years before going to work for McEvoy & Co. in Chicago where she worked with her Dad raising chickens and eggs in a factory building in the city. There she met her husband of 68 years, Jack H. Kempen. Virginia worked at Continental Can Company in Clearing, IL for many years until she and Jack retired to Newton Township in 1977. Jack & Virginia raised beef cattle and farmed for many years. Virginia will be remembered as a wonderful mother and grandmother, a fabulous cook and an ambitious quilter. She was a devoted member of Immanuel Lutheran Church, Westfield where she and Jack had many friends and their house was always open to visitors and family for any length of time.

Virginia is survived by her two children, Robert Kempen, Pace, FL and Judith Kempen of Milton, FL; two grandchildren, Laura (Mark) Romzek (nee Bobrowicz) and Matthew (Jennifer) Bobrowicz; six great grandchildren, Abigail, Lily and Graciella Romzek and Alexander, Tatiana and Zoe Bobrowicz; six nephews, Ralph and Henry Stalesky, Crystal Lake, IL and Bond, Mark, Karl and Warren Schnoor, Fair Haven, MI; Thomas DiCarlo, Mt.Home, AR; numerous loving cousins including the Thomas and Donald Birch families of Chicago, IL and Negaunee, MI as well as dear cousins in Pappenburg, Germany, cousin Hermann Kempen and family, Karl Heinz Rhode and Andreas Rhode Families of Hamburg, Germany. She will be sadly missed by family, neighbors and friends too numerous to mention. Virginia was preceded in death by her husband, Jack and her parents and 4 siblings, Marion, Doris, Laura (Egge) and Iris (DiCarlo).

A funeral service for Virginia will be held on Saturday, January 11, 2014 at 11:00 a.m. at Immanuel Lutheran Church, Westfield with Rev. Gary H. Schultz officiating. Interment will be in Westfield East Cemetery. A visitation will be held on Saturday from 9:30 a.m. until the hour of service at the church. In lieu of flowers, memorials would be appreciated to Immanuel Lutheran Church, Westfield.

Please take a moment to view the online guestbook. Send your condolences or share a memory of Virginia with her family.