Kempen, Boniface J. "Bonny"

Other Events:

• 1930 Census: 1930, Buchanan, Outagamie, Wisconsin, USA
• Education - High School: 1944, Kaukauna, Outagamie, Wisconsin, USA
• Military Service: Bef 1946; WWII - US Navy, Seaman First Class
• Tombstone: Aft 2009, St. Francis Catholic Cemetery, Hollandtown, Wisconsin, USA
• Obituary: 25 Jun 2014; Appleton Post Crescent

Notes:

Education - High School:
Kaukauna High School Class of 1944

Military Service:
see web page wsinfo.com world war II veterans; Boniface "B.J." Kempen
Schools attended: Military Junction, Kaukauna High SchoolPlace of residenc e: KaukaunaYears of service: 22 monthsBranch: U.S. NavyRank at time of discharge: Seaman First ClassMilitary honors: European, Asian-Pacific, Philippine Liberation medals
Theaters served in: Philippine Islands
World War II remembrance: He was assigned to the Armed Guard which was Na vy personnel that manned large guns on merchant ships. Merchant ships carr ied supplies to the fighting areas. After 10 weeks of gunnery trainin g, we sailed from New Orleans, not knowing where we were headed becau se of the security. It took 33 days to get to the Philippines and during o ur trip we went through a typhoon that could have sunk us, since many of t his type of ship cracked under stress, but we did make it to Manila. Wh en we got to Manila Bay, I just couldn't believe all the sunken ships in t he harbor. The most beautiful city in the South Pacific was totally destro yed. I spent most of my two years in the Philippines. I never was wounded.

Obituary:
Boniface J. Kempen, "Bonny", a long time resident of Hollandtown prayed and confessed Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior on June 18, 2014. He went home to be with his Savior on June 23, 2014. He was born November 6, 1926 in the Town of Buchanan, son of the late Peter and Marie (Coenen) Kempen. On September 2, 1950 he was united in marriage to Ann Vander Zanden in Darboy. Bonny attended Military Junction one room schoolhouse and graduated from Kaukauna High School, class of 1944. He entered the U.S. Navy, serving for two years in the Pacific theater and was honorably discharged in 1946. Bonny was a longstanding member of the Wrightstown American Legion, Urban Klister Post #436. He was an active member of St. Francis Catholic Church in Hollandtown, where he was a member of the mixed choir and men's choir. Bonny also enjoyed coaching basketball and baseball for the Hollandtown Raiders. For 63 years he sold Watkin's Quality Products and was known as "The Watkin's Man". Bonny was also an avid golfer, bowler, Packer, Brewer and Bucks fan.
He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Ann; his five children: Carol (Alan) Tuttoilmondo, Diane Kempen, Jim (Brenda) Kempen, Becky (Ivan) Mesa, and Elaine (Roberto) Rodriguez; daughter-in-law, Sue Kempen; 15 grandchildren and 7 great-grandchildren; 4 sisters: Lorna Van Handel, Arlene (Roger) Bruecker, Jan (Erv) Nettekoven, and Laverne (Dave) Weigert; 2 brothers: Hal Kempen and Gerry (Geri) Kempen.
He was preceded in death by his parents, a son Jack, 3 brothers: Marvin, Paul, and Dick Kempen, and other in-laws.
A Celebration of Bonny's life will be held at Noon on Saturday, June 28, 2014 at St. Katharine Drexel Parish at St. Francis Church, Hollandtown with Fr. Jerry Pastors officiating. Friends may call at church from 9:30 a.m. until the time of mass. In lieu of flowers, a memorial fund is being established. The family has chosen Boettcher Family Funeral Home, Kaukauna to assist them. www.boettcherfamilyfuneral.com 766-2099
Published in Appleton Post-Crescent from June 24 to June 25, 2014

Boniface married VanderZanden, Ann 2 Sep 1950, Darboy, Calumet, Wisconsin, USA. Ann (daughter of VanderZanden, Martin Joseph Sr. and VanBeek, Marie Harriet) was born 23 Feb 1931, Kimberly, Outagamie, Wisconsin, USA; died 10 Mar 2017. [Group Sheet]

Other Events:

• Military Service: US Navy
• Obituary: 7 Sep 2000; Green Bay Press Gazette

Notes:

Obituary:
John "Jack" Kempen, Tampa, Fla., 47, Business Manager at Florida College in Temple Terrace, Fla., died Sunday, Sept. 3, at a Tampa Hospital from a heart attack. He was a native of Kaukauna and moved to Jacksonville, Fla., in 1976, when he married Sue Thomas on June 12. In 1993, Jack and Sue moved to Tampa. Mr. Kempen was a Certified Public Accountant, a member of the Fortieth Street Church of Christ, the Kiwanis Club and was a veteran of the United States Navy.
Jack is survived by his wife, Sue two sons, Drew Kempen, Lawrenceville, Ga. and Brian Kempen, Tampa his parents, Boniface and Ann (VanderZanden) Kempen, Kaukauna one brother and sister-in-law, Jim and Brenda Kempen, Malone four sisters and three brothers-in-law, Carol and Alan Tuttoilmondo, Minneapolis Diane Kempen, Mount Horeb Becky and Ivan Mesa and Elaine and Shawn Schaumann, Miramar, Fla.
A memorial service was held in Temple Terrace, Fla. on Wednesday, Sept. 6. A funeral service will be held at the Hardage-Giddens Funeral Home in Jacksonville, Fla. today.
In lieu of flowers the family suggests memorials to the John Kempen Memorial Fund, Florida College, 119 N. Glen Arven Ave., Temple Terrace, FL 33617.Green Bay Press-Gazette (WI)Date: September 7, 2000Page: B4Record Number: grb9941308892200Copyright (c) Green Bay Press-Gazette. All rights reserved. Reproduced with the permission of Gannett Co., Inc. by NewsBank, inc.

John married Unknown, Susan [Group Sheet]