Ernest (Ernie) Lee Kemp, Jr, 88, of Branson, Missouri, formerly of Carrollton, MS went home to be with Our Lord on Saturday, Dec. 31, 2023.
He was a devoted member of Valley Hill United Methodist Church, in Carrollton, Miss. and then with Branson’s Cowboy Church in Branson, Missouri.
Ernie was born in Colorado Springs, Colorado. As a child his family moved to Missouri. He once stated “I never dreamed I would come to the end of my life off of Hwy 13 as I grew up in Warrensburg off of Hwy 13.”
He joined the Navy in 1955. While stationed at Millington he became friends with Melvin Minyard who introduced him to his future wife Mary Bole.
He married Mary Bole from Carrollton, MS on Aug. 28, 1959, one week after being discharged from the Navy.
After Ernie and Mary married, they moved to Aurora, Colorado where he worked in quality control at Martin Marrietta. While there they built the booster that launched the Gemini rocket. In 1966 they moved to Maywood, Mississippi where he worked for RCA until they closed the plant.
In 1970 they finally made it back to Carroll County, where he held several jobs with National Picture Frame, Coco Cola, Hydra Tool and S&N Sprayer, until he retired 1997.
He owned and operated the ELK Christmas Tree Farm in Carrollton, MS where he delighted in being part of families Christmas traditions for many years.
In 2006 Ernie and Mary started spending and working summers in Branson, Missouri and finally in 2008 they made Branson their home.
Ernie was preceded in death by his parents Ernest Sr. and Rosalie Kemp; Brother Charles Dexter Wiegers; and sister, Mary Maxine Tebbenkamp.
Ernie is survived by his loving wife of 64 years, Mary Kemp; daughter Dawn and son in law Norman Wallace also of Branson West, MO; three grandsons: Branson Campbell Wallace and wife Kim Wallace of Littleton, Colorado; Nathaniel Wayne Wallace and William Dillon Wallace and wife, Victoria also of Branson West, MO: and three great-grandchildren; Sean Aiden Crowley of Aurora, CO, Rion Elizabeth Wallace and Raylee Renae Wallace both of Branson West, MO; and many nieces and nephews.
A Celebration of life will be noon Sunday, Jan. 14, 2024 at Cowboy Church meeting at God and Country Theater, 1840 W 76 Country Blvd, Branson, MO. Burial will be held at a later date at Oak Grove Cemetery in Carrollton. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to Cowboy Church at God and Country Theater (209 N. Catamount Blvd, Branson West, MO) or Oak Grove Cemetery, P.O. Box 72 Carrollton, MS 38917.
