Laverl Allen "Kempe" Kempel

LaVerl Allen “Kempe” Kempel, age 89, of Mt. Carroll, Illinois, passed away Sunday, October 18, 2020 at Allure Nursing Home, Mt. Carroll. A visitation will be held from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m., Saturday, October 24, 2020 at Law-Jones Funeral Home, Mt. Carroll. A family service will follow at 11:30 a.m. Burial will take place in Chapel Hills Cemetery, Freeport, Illinois.

LaVerl was born March 18, 1931, the son of Nelson and Dora (Popp) Kempel in Freeport, Illinois. He attended Pearl City High School. He married Mary Katherine Cox on February 24, 1952. LaVerl farmed and worked for Johnston Feed Service from 1969, until his retirement at the age of 65. He then did seasonal work driving truck.

LaVerl loved spending time with his family—especially his grandchildren and great-grandchildren. He enjoyed tractor pulls, spending time outdoors, and attending antique tractor shows. He also volunteered his time for the Mt. Carroll Fire Department.

LaVerl will be dearly missed by his wife, Mary Katherine; two sons, Kevin (Patti) Kempel of Wimauma, Florida, and Brian (Marlynn) Kempel of Clear Lake Shores, Texas; two daughters, Debra (Marv Van Horn) Kempel-Surette of Freeport, and Linda (Pat) Ogara of Chicago, Illinois; seven grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; three great-great-grandchildren; a brother, James Kempel of Lena, Illinois, and a sister, Donna Ruch of Monroe, Wisconsin.

LaVerl is preceded in death by his parents, Nelson and Dora, and a son, Robert Kempel in 2015.