Billy Kenneth Kemp

Bill Kemp passed away on his 94th birthday on January 12, 2025. He was born a sharecropper’s son in Smith County, TN, on January 12, 1931 to Curtis Draper Kemp and Dorothy Mai Hackett Kemp, attended a one-room schoolhouse and dedicated his life to serving others. Bill served in the U.S. Marines and while there, played football and attended cook and baker’s school. He attained the highest rating ever at the school. On his return from the service, he met and married the love of his life, Sue Walker Kemp. They were married for over 71 years. With a new wife in tow, he pursued a B. S. degree at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville in Agriculture, with a major in dairy products manufacturing. While at U.T.K., Bill joined the Alpha Gamma Rho fraternity, where he was elected president of their first pledge class and maintained close friendships with his fraternity brothers throughout his life. After college, Bill worked at several dairy companies until he was made general operations manager at Pet Dairy in Charlotte. He eventually left Pet for the Macke Company/Service America/Canteen/Compass Group, a vending and industrial food service company, where he became Vice-President-General Manager and worked there the rest of his career until retirement. During his time there, Bill won the North Carolina Vendor of the Year award.

Shortly after college, Bill began his life-long passion for service to others. He first joined the Maryville-Alcoa Jaycees and quickly became club president. He then joined Rotary International and eventually became president of the North Charlotte Rotary Club. While president, Bill co-created Rotaract, a Rotary youth club that now has grown to over 10,000 clubs world-wide with over 200,000 members in 184 countries. He also was a District Governor, a Paul Harris Fellow, attended international conferences and a recipient of the “Service Above Self” award, only given to the top echelon of fellow Rotarians. Through Rotary, Bill helped sponsor many exchange students from other countries. His local club also co-named their “Rotarian of the Year” award after Bill. In addition, something that Bill was very proud of, was his perfect Rotary attendance for over 50 years.

Bill also showed a life-long interest in scouting, when he formed a boy scout troop. Over the years, he became a Scout Master, District Chairman, Council Commissioner and Council President of Boy Scouts of America. Along the way, Bill received the “Silver Beaver Award” the highest recognition in scouting. He also showed his dedication to scouting by participating in numerous overnight camping trips and the National Jamboree.

In addition to Rotary and scouting, Bill got heavily involved with Junior Achievement. He was elected president of Junior Achievement in Charlotte (twice), received several leadership awards, served on several regional and national Junior Achievement boards and was given the National Leadership Award. Bill also served as a Crusade Chairman for the American Cancer Society and sat on the Executive Committee for several years.

Finally, Bill was always heavily involved with his church. A life-long Presbyterian, Bill was elected to serve as an Elder at several Presbyterian churches during his life. With great pride, Bill was instrumental in persuading Sardis Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, NC to sponsor a Laotian refugee family to come to this Country. Bill and Sue maintained a close relationship with the family, all the way up to his death.

Bill was an easy-going, friendly person who was genuinely concerned about the welfare of others. He loved University of Tennessee sports. Particularly football and women’s basketball. He started the first UT Alumni Chapter in Charlotte, NC and sat on several alumni boards. Bill loved to travel. He and Sue experienced many countries around the world and even took a couple of barefoot cruises around the Caribbean-his favorite vacation. Bill also loved to read. He was always reading a magazine or book. After retirement, Bill became very curious about his ancestry and studied his family genealogy, which he shared with his family members through a series of books he wrote about his family history. Above all, his favorite thing to do was to spend time with his grandchildren, Jonathan and Jessica. He was so proud of them and he and Sue took them on many trips around the Country.

Bill was preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Jean Waters, Myrt Cook, Sandra Bowman and Gail Smith; and brothers, Bob Kemp, and Paul Kemp. He is survived by his sisters, Mary Procter and Donna Holder; brother, Roy Kemp. Also surviving Bill, his son, Mike Kemp, his wife, Wendy, along with his grandchildren, Jonathan and Jessica. Bill’s wife of 71 years, Sue Walker Kemp followed Bill to heaven on January 26, 2025.

Visitation will be held at Christ Church, Presbyterian, 4201 Southern Pines Drive, Evans, GA, on Saturday, March 15, 2025 from 10 am to 11 am, followed by a Life Celebration Service at 11 am. The service will be officiated by Reverend Robert Hendrick.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Rotary Foundation of Rotary International Endowment Fund. For more information, go to: https://www.rotary.org/en/rotary-endowment