Mary Kemp

With great sadness the family of Mary Elizabeth Kemp announces her homegoing on Wednesday, April 30, 2025, at home in Columbia, MD. Mary was born January 1, 1946, to Rita E. Lagomarsino Kemp and William S. Kemp in Forest Hills, NY, where she lived most of her life. Mary is preceded by her parents and her sisters Linda Power and Carole Nepogoda. She is survived by her older sister Barbara Bauman and younger siblings Elaine Smith, William J. Kemp, John Kemp, Peter Kemp, and Michael Kemp.

Mary’s commitment to Christ guided her decisions in life. What came out of that commitment left an indelible mark on many and left none in doubt of Mary’s love for helping others reach their potential.

With a passion for teaching, Mary earned two master’s teaching degrees, Math Education and English Education from Hunter College. Later, she trained with the National Institute for Leaning Development. Her career started at Plaza Business School, but she found her real niche at Evangel Christian School where she was committed to motivating and helping students of all ages to be lifelong learners. More recently she discovered a program called EBLI which she envisioned would enable students to read and use words to the fullest. It revived her passion for helping student and kept her excited about something new in this last year.

Her adventurous spirit took her to Russia to train teachers (and included an impromptu trip in a blizzard to see the border of China); took her to Eastern Europe on a mission trip where she brought a goat and the gospel to an impoverished family; to Israel and Egypt on an eventful church trip; to Maine for windjamming experiences on a schooner; and more…

Over the years, her passion for her relationship with Christ, relationship with family, and identity as a teacher fueled admiration and affection from friends and family alike.

Mary’s family is extremely gratefully to her friends, Lorraine and Rudy Marshall, for making a place for Mary in their home in Maryland for the past 12 years. It was a place where she could receive excellent medical care as well as continue teaching, come upon new teaching strategies, and enjoy a wonderful church family. We are also thankful for the special Maryland memories they have been sharing with us.

Mary’s family thanks all who have been sharing stories of Mary and welcome more!

There will be three memorial services in different venues:

May 10th Eternal Hope Ministries, 20-47 Steinway Street, Astoria, NY, 11105, 5:00pm.

May 25th Smith Residence, 5713 James Walk Ct, Stone Mountain, GA, 30087, at 2:00pm

May 31st New Heritage Community, 9005 Chevrolet Dr., Ellicott City, MD, 21042, at 11:00am

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to one of her 3 favorite places: New Heritage Community in Maryland (https://newheritagecommunity.com/give/)

Eternal Hope Ministries in New York (Zelle #917-340-2248)

The EBLI Project, https://eblireads.com/the-ebli-project/

A life hidden in and blessed by Jesus Christ,

Mary Elizabeth Kemp

Can now enjoy the glory of the Heavenly Father for eternity.