Gerald R. Kamp

Born in Eau Claire County, WI on January 18, 1940, he was the son of the late Lester and Ruth Bolles Kamp.

Gerald attended Northwest High in Pinellas Park, Florida and later attended Technical School in St. Petersburg, Florida.

In 1957, he joined the United States Air Force and served for 12 years. He was initially chosen as aide de camp to the base commander and later completed his GED and trained in computer programming. He was assigned to the Armed Forces Air Intelligence Training Center in Denver, Colorado, where he was an instructor and assigned to a group that traveled worldwide, teaching programming courses to all branches of the service. While in the USAF, he married his beloved wife, Elianor Riley, in 1961.

After the Air Force, Kamp worked for North Carolina National Bank in Charlotte as a systems analyst. He later joined Seth Lumber Co. as an outside representative selling component home packages.

In the late 1970’s, Kamp started his own business, “Homes by Gerald Kamp.” During the next four decades, he built nearly 600 homes of all sizes in the Catawba Valley Area.

He also developed his own construction estimating system, Professional Construction Management. He continued to estimate homes for local builders up until his death.

Kamp has served as the president of the Home Builders Association of Hickory-Catawba Valley three times and as Vice President on the State level. He served on numerous committees and received various awards, most notably “NC Hall of Fame,” “The Kamp Award” and “Notable Neighbor”

He was a member of Highland Baptist Church, taught Sunday school and served as a deacon.

Gerald hobbies included owning and racing a drag car, enjoying Nascar, square dancing with the Newton Twirlers, coin and model car collecting and was a proud owner of an extensive collection of movies and music. He enjoyed attending his grandchildren’s sports events.

Gerald has always been known to be the “Life of the Party” from early childhood thru later years as he documented in his autobiography, “My Life as I Remember,” where constant shenanigans occurred and kept you laughing. He was a hardworking, honest man, wanting to provide the best for his family. Gerald was known for helping others and those who were less fortunate without expecting recognition for his good deeds.

Gerald stated he lived by advice given by his father when he was an adolescent, and it has been his motto his entire life, “Whatever you do, be the best there is.”

In addition to his parents he was preceded in death by his wife Elianor Riley Kamp and brothers Denis Kamp and John Kamp.

He is survived by daughters, Kim Crawford and husband Nick of Hickory, Kristin Taylor and husband Craig of Hickory; two grandchildren, Brittany Granger of Hickory and Tyler Granger of Raleigh; great grandchild, Ava Powell of Hickory; step-grandson, Charlie Crawford of Chicago; former son-in-law, Tom Granger of Hickory; sister Faith Carter of Tarpon Springs, FL and numerous nieces and nephews.

Funeral service will be held Tuesday, April 12, 2022 at 3:00pm at Hickory Funeral Home with Dr. Reverend Jeff Myers officiating. Military honors will be presented.

A mingling of friends will be held prior to the service from 1:00pm until 2:45pm at the funeral home.

Memorial gifts may be made to Home Builders Association of Hickory-Catawba Valley Inc. 3145 Tate Blvd SE, Hickory, NC 28602 or Carolina Caring 3975 Robinson Road, Newton, NC.