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 the church following Mass, and we will continue on to Maple Hill Cemetery in Hibbing, MN, for interment, where military honors will be accorded.