Mark Kemp

Mark Joseph Kemp, 80, of Atlantic, Iowa, died Sunday, May 1, 2016, at the home of his daughter in Dallas Center, Iowa, with the support from Care Initiatives Hospice.

Mark was born March 8, 1936, in Oyens, Iowa, to Alphonse and Mary E. (Christoffel) Kemp. He attended school through the eighth grade. He grew up in Le Mars, IA. He served with the Iowa National Guard from 1954 - 1956. Mark was married to Mahala Ann Garrigan on May 25, 1957, at St. Boniface Catholic Church in Sioux City, IA. They moved to Des Moines, IA, in 1963 and then to Atlantic, IA, in 1974. He worked as a carpenter in Le Mars, IA, for Jewl T Distributors in Des Moines, IA, and then for the Iowa Department of Transportation for 31 years, retiring in 1998.

He was a member of Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church and the Knights of Columbus. He enjoyed gardening and raising farm animals.

Mark was preceded in death by his parents; his wife, Mahala in 1999; a son, Carl in 2015; and a daughter-in-law, Lois Kemp.

Mark is survived by his children; Karelyn (Rex) Jones of Grimes, IA, Tim Kemp of Round Rock, TX, Tom Kemp of Grimes, IA, Shelley (Pat) Hopley of Dallas Center, IA, Dea M. (Chuck) Morys of San Antonio, TX, Bert Kemp of Pilot Mound, IA, and Jeremy Kemp of Round Rock, TX; grandchildren, Branden Kemp, Jennifer Hopley, Laura (Jay) Winberg, Nathan (Shelli) Hopley, Michael (Meggan) Jones, Heather (Robert) Dirks, Nicholas Kemp, Kyle Morys, Kaleb Kemp, Sam Kemp, Keegan Kemp and Mahala Kemp; great-grandchildren, Tiffani Hopley, Breanne Hopley, Lani Dirks, Cambria Dirks, Brecken Dirks, Emberlynn Dirks, Kyla Jones and Madison Kemp; and a sister, Janice Harpenau of Remsen, IA.

Visitation will be held on Wednesday, May 4, 2016 from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. with a vigil service at 6:30 p.m. at Hockenberry Family Care in Atlantic, IA.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held on Thursday, May 5, 2016, at 10:30 a.m., at Saints Peter & Paul Catholic Church in Atlantic, IA, with burial in the SS Peter & Paul Catholic Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, memorials are preferred to family's wishes.

Hockenberry Family Care in Atlantic, Iowa, is in charge of the arrangements.