Robert Kemper

Robert Wayne Kemper (Bob) was born in Drake, ND on Christmas Day in 1923 to Raymond and Lillian (Chilsted) Kemper. Raymond was a rural mail carrier and Lillian an elementary school teacher. Throughout school Bob was active in school events, particularly music and sports. Following high school graduation he attended Jamestown (ND) College. After one year he interrupted his education to join the War Training Service (WTS), a branch of the Army Air Corp in which civilians learned to fly to ferry war planes to Europe. His WTS instruction included flight training in Grand Forks, ND and Hibbing, MN. While in Hibbing he met Rose Majerle whom he later married on July 31, 1945 in Hibbing. Rose then accompanied Bob as he continued flight training at various locations. He was assigned to the regular Army Air Corp and earned his wings as a fighter pilot and a commission as Second Lieutenant about the time the war ended. Shortly after rejoining civilian life they settled in Hibbing where Bob was initially employed as an accountant. He later joined an international chemical analysis laboratory as office and human relations manager. It was in Hibbing where they raised their sons Donn Scott (always called Scott) and Bruce. In 1966 Bob, Rose and Bruce moved to Grand Forks where Bob attended the University of ND completing an undergraduate degree in Accounting and Business Law, a graduate degree in the same field, earned a CPA Certificate, became a faculty member of the Accounting and Business Law Department and retired in 1985. In 1997 Bob and Rose moved to Rochester, MN and in 2004 Bob moved back to Grand Forks. Bob died peacefully at Edgewood Vista in East Grand Forks on June 28th. During his life he most enjoyed family time, including many memorable hours spent at the family cabin on a lake near Hibbing, and friends. Bob maintained an interest in flying throughout his life. He was preceded in death by his parents, sons Scott and Bruce and wife Rose. He is survived by a brother, Gene (Mickey), of Cass Lake, MN.