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Kemp, Jr., Donald G.

September 4, 2053 –
 June 2, 2013

Obituary

Donald Gene Kemp, Jr. was born on September 4, 1953 and passed away on June 2, 2013. He graduated from Bishop Lynch High School and began his college career playing football at Wabash College in Indiana. He then attended The University of Texas in Austin and graduated in August of 1976. While at UT, he was a proud member of Phi Kappa Psi and there also met his beautiful bride Stephanie Ann Steffler. The two were married on August 21, 1976. Don then immediately began working at the family owned and operated Kemp Sheet Metal Works in Dallas where he managed the business with his father for over 40 years. Don also owned a martial arts studio called Kemp Academy and taught there for 5 years. He was a 3rd degree black belt in Hapkido and a 4th degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. Don was also instrumental in organizing the founding of Help Is Possible, a drug and alcohol recovery center. Don’s faith journey began at a young age and continued to shape and mold the people around him. For the past 10 years, he was an active member of Prince of Peace Lutheran Church. Don was preceded in death by his father, Donald Gene Kemp Sr. and his mother Rita Maria Michalski. Don and Stephanie Kemp have two children, William Robert Kemp and Kathryn Anna Kemp. William is married to Heather Hensen Kemp. Memorial Services will be held for Don Kemp on Thursday, June 6th at 11am with a luncheon to follow at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 4000 Midway Road, Carrollton, TX 75007. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Donald Kemp Memorial Fund. If you would like to support the family in this way, please make checks payable to Prince of Peace Lutheran Church with “Donald Kemp Memorial Fund” in the memo line. If needed, you may mail these checks directly to the church address above. Arrangements are under the direction of ARIA Cremation Service and Funeral Home 19310 Preston Road, Dallas, Texas 75252, 214-306-6700.    

    Darrell Day
    6 Jun 2013
    6:08pm

    Don Kemp was a great guy and a great friend. I just heard of his passing, and I’m shocked. He had such energy and vibrancy about him, and always had great stories to tell. The world is a little darker place now, without Don. But, he’s been promoted. Now he walks on streets of gold.

    Debbie Pruyn
    7 Jun 2013
    3:07pm

    We will greatly miss you Don! Always enjoyed our chats. He spoke so often of Stephanie and the kids you could always tell they meant the world to him. He is now visiting with his dad that he so deeply missed. They are back side by side. Prayers for his family.

    Melvin Baker
    8 Jun 2013
    4:14pm

    Sorry to hear of his passing. Prayers to all his family and friends.

    Benjamin Oakley
    12 Jun 2013
    8:34am

    Rest in Peace Don, you will be missed.

    Anthony oliver
    17 Jul 2013
    5:24pm

    Don kemp jr
    Thanks for all the things you and you father have done for CEI roofing , and thank for giving me the chance to get to know you and your father, I truly miss you both .
    God bless you and your family 🙂
    I miss the weekly phone calls buddy

    Linda Barbosa
    16 Mar 2014
    2:00pm

    I just found out about his passing and wanted to share my condolences with his family. He was a bright shining star and will be missed.

    Julie Chapman
    10 Jul 2014
    6:35pm

    Stephanie, William & Katie,
    I was driving down Addison Road the other day and saw the old place with a Tae Kwon Do sign hanging over the space. Wondered if our favorite Master Kemp had returned to instructing, and decided to search on the internet. Then my heart broke when I landed on the Aria page, and found our treasured Master’s obituary.

    I’m so sorry not to have known and reached out sooner to express my sincere condolences over Don’s untimely passing. He was such an amazing man, father, mentor, teacher and friend. I pray all of you are finding comfort in knowing the legacy he left behind, and recognize the large number of people his powerful, compassionate, intimidating stature mixed with Teddy Bear style had on those he met and touched.

    All my love to each of you! I will always remember Don with tremendous love and fondness.

    All my love,

    Julie Chapman

    John Wolf
    3 Jun 2016
    10:39pm

    Happy Heavenly Birthday brother Don. May the Light Perpetual Shine ypon you

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"On behalf of my family, I wanted you to know how much we appreciate your handling of my husband's final arrangements. Wayne Baxter assisted & guided us through the entire process with such care & compassion. Don't know what we would have done without him! Sincerely, Colleen Elledge"
The Peterson Family
The Peterson FamilyYelp! Review - Northwest Highway 5-Stars
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"I can’t say enough about how helpful and professional Dusty Martin, the funeral director at the Aria Cremation location on NW Highway has been. From my initial call, he was kind and informative. My friend died at home while on hospice and she was picked up in about an hour after receiving the call from the hospice nurse. The person who arrived to pick her up was also very professional/respectful and allowed us to take as much time with her as we wished. When I met with Dusty the next day about arrangements, he explained the process and options available without being pushy or trying to “sell” extras. Throughout the process, he kept me informed and, for example, was careful to be certain I understood the cost of the obituary I wanted and offered some options for reducing that cost if I wished. When I stopped by for another reason and started talking about some of the problems I was having with the pictures and media I hoped to use at a memorial lunch I was planning, he not only listened patiently but offered technology advice and let me use his personal media player. I have had experience arranging cremations for four others using two other local companies, and this experience with Dusty at Aria has been by far the best one I have had."
Paula Barnes
Paula BarnesGoogle Review
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"My Daddy’s service and our family experience at Aria Northwest Highway was truly blessed. Funeral Director Dustin Martin is the kind of person that you would like to see on a more regular basis – but in his industry – you hope to not see him that often. That being said – THANK YOU DUSTIN for your unending kindness, compassion and friendship through the process. Meeting you and discussing Dallas History, Find A Grave and my Dad’s lifelong contributions to the great City of Dallas was simply wonderful! In memory of my dad James A. Dodd, Sr. – I want to personally thank you and let you know that you made everything better in that moment. Your calling to “Be There” is spot on. Aria has a one in a million guy in you! Bling Blinky of TEXAS Shout Out: God Bless You!!"
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