John A. Kemper

Second in a line of sixteen siblings, John was born prematurely on June 14, 1945,

weighing only 2 lbs., 12 oz. You would never guess by looking at the tiny baby in that

picture that he would grow up to be a strong, surly, sometimes intimidating and always

unfiltered man with a big, caring heart underneath it all. His sister Mary Beth summed

up his personality in one sentence: Johnny was an acquired taste. People sometimes

had a hard time with his crabby exterior, but if you got to know him, he would flash his

big grin, make a joke (probably at your expense) and become an anchor in your life like

he was for his family and friends.

John grew up on a farm in Maryville, Missouri, with his parents Louis and Teresa and

his siblings. It wasn’t always easy. Their first house had little heat in the bedrooms

upstairs, and everyone was expected to work for what they had. John learned to drive a

tractor at the age of 6, and sowed rows of oats meticulously from an over-the-shoulder

bag and hand crank. Farm ways stuck with him his whole life, and it benefited everyone

in his circle; he worked on his garden diligently and grew the best strawberries.

John always was a disciplined worker, a characteristic formed not only by his childhood,

but also from his time in the Marine Corps from 1964 to 1968, which included a tour of

duty in Vietnam. He then worked for 25 years at Our Own Hardware, first in Minneapolis

and later in Burnsville, MN. John married Sharon Arndt in 1973, adopting her daughters

Patricia and Jonnette, and welcoming daughter Jolene and son John.

Floodwood, MN, with its three rivers and wooded land, became John’s dream place to

live when his father first brought him there on vacation when he was a child. He bought

land on the St. Louis River in the 70s and moved there permanently in 1992. When he

wasn’t on the river, you could find him working at the sawmill or cutting and splitting

wood for the laundromat he owned in Floodwood, or busy with the projects he forever

had in the works, cussing and tinkering. He loved gadgets and was competent with

woodworking, electrical circuits and computers.

Everyone knew when you went to John’s house, you’d be eating fresh-caught fish,

expertly cleaned on the riverbank and fried to perfection—always served with lots of

mashed potatoes and gravy, not to mention conversation and laughter. It was a joy to

make John tip his head back and give a big laugh at something you said. His visitors will

remember the dogs he had over the years: Spotty, Girl #1, Girl #2, and Girl #3, some

not as fondly as others.

John’s life, more than anything else, was shaped by his relationship with his son. They

complemented each other like fried fish and mashed potatoes. They were always

together, figuring things out. Working or fishing, through crabby days, squabbles, and

John Jr.’s goofiness that drove his dad crazy, their relationship was based on love for

each other that nothing could shake.

John had prostate cancer for many years, recurring UTIs, and diabetes, but it took a

massive stroke to fell him on September 17, 2026, at St. Mary’s in Duluth, MN. John Jr.

took care of his dad for three years at the end of his life. He did all his physical care,

feeding, bathing and nursing him, but really, he kept him alive through pure force of

love, and that was a fitting end to John’s life and their life together.

John was preceded in death by his daughter Jolene; his former wife Sharon; his siblings

Bernard, Vera, and Richard; and his parents Louis and Teresa.

John is survived by his daughters Patricia Nielsen and Jonnette Moser; his son John

(Megan) Kemper; grandsons Chaz (Kerri) Meinke, Christopher Dahl, and Seth Moser;

his siblings Mary Beth Kemper, Teresa Marie Kemper (Robert), Ronnie Kemper

(Brenda), Lois Schieber (Roy), Dolores Schroff (Stephen), Marcella Bell (John), Tom

Kemper (Ruth), Donna Hall, Steve Kemper (Sandra), Marilyn Wunder (Mark), Agnes

Anderson (Dennis), Pete Kemper (Macia), many nieces, nephews, friends, and Girl #3.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held at 11:00 AM on Friday, October 2, 2026, at the St.

Louis Catholic Church in Floodwood, MN. Reverend Fr. Joseph Sobolik will preside

over services. Visitation will begin an hour before Mass at the church, beginning at

10:00 AM. Reception will be held at church following Mass and we will continue on to

Maple Hill Cemetery in Hibbing, MN, for interment, where military honors will be

accorded.