S. E. KEMP DIES HERE WEDNESDAY

Sudden Heart Attack Ends Life of Early Blair Settler

WAS SHOVELING SNOW AT DEATH

The news of the sudden death of S. E. Kemp on last Wednesday morning at 8:30 o’clock shocked the citizens of Blair. He had been shoveling snow and suddenly collapsed and never regained consciousness.

Deceased was born September 9, 1863 in East Troy, Wisconsin, and came to Blair in the early eighties. He entered the drug business with the late W. D. Haller shortly after coming to Blair.

a On June 16, 1886 he was married to Miss Annie Patrick at Rigdon, Indiana, and shortly after that he built the home on South Walker Avenue, known as the Kemp home, and for the past fifty two years this has been his home. In this home four children were born, three of whom are still living, and with the memories that were his of his early married life and the rearing of his family, the old home became very dear to him and it was his desire to end his life there. “It takes a heap of living in a place to make it home” and it was really home to him.

His first wife died in 1929 and he married a second time on September 12, 1931 to Margaret Thaden of Grand Island and they were close companions until the end.

His business career was in the main the drug business, and after severing his connections with W. D. Haller, he entered business for himself on the corner where the Safeway store is now located. Fire destroyed the building and stock, and he later operated a music store and later was interest in real estate. He was always active and energetic and provided well for his family.

Surviving him are his daughters, Mrs. Harley Dickey of Ft. Collins, Colorado; Mrs. Harry Wiist, Mr. Carmel, Illinois; and Mrs. Frank Stewart of Blair and the wife and one stepdaughter, also two grandchildren, Elizabeth Ann Wiist and Meredith Stewart. These are left to mourn his death.

Deceased was a member of the Baptist church, joining with that organization shortly after coming to Blair; he was also a member at one time of the I.O.O.F. lodge, the Modern Woodmen and the Maccabees.

The funeral rites will be held Sunday with a short service at 2 o’clock from the home and at 2:30 o’clock from the Baptist church with Rev. C. E. Hamilton of the local Baptist church in charge, and interment will be made in the Blair cemetery.

~~~Obituaries courtesy of the Nebraska Washington County Genealogical Society. Newspaper clippings on file in the Blair, Nebraska Public Library~~~

FindaGrave # 115887803