George Allen Kemp
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Dr. George A. Kemp passed away peacefully with family at his side, Saturday morning, May 28, 2022. He was born on August 13, 1929 to Allen P. and Grace Hudgins Kemp in the Baptist Hospital in Houston, Texas. When Dr. Kemp was six years old, his father was permanently admitted the VA hospital in Waco, Texas with emphysema, a result of mustard gas and shrapnel injuries sustained in World War I. This left his mother to raise him and his two-year-old brother (Robert) while pregnant with their sister (Sue). Together, the family faced the Great Depression of the 1930's. He graduated from John H. Reagan High School in Houston in 1947 and immediately left for the University of Corpus Christi (Texas) where he excelled in basketball and baseball, helping lead the Tarpon basketball team to a 22-1 record in his senior year. He graduated in 1951 with a B.A. degree in History, minors in Psychology and Religion. Upon graduation, Dr. Kemp became the Minister of Music at the North Baptist Church in McKinney, Texas. It was during this time that he met the love of his life, Rita Beth Kemp (Gilbert) and was wed at the same church in 1954. Minister Kemp was elected as Chairman of the Board of the Collin County Baptist Association. Additionally, he earned his Master (1957) and Doctoral (1960) degrees in Psychology from the University of North Texas and did post-doctoral work at Yale University. Having completed his graduate studies, he accepted the position of Assistant Professor of Psychology at Kansas State College where he taught at both the graduate and undergraduate levels. In moving to Kansas, he and Rita were now accompanied by their new son, Bradley Sterling. In 1962, Dr. Kemp accepted the opportunity to move back down south with a professorship at Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana, where the family lived on the beautiful Cane River. In 1965 the family was blessed with the arrival of their daughter, Kelly Elizabeth Kemp. During his tenure at Northwestern, Dr. Kemp was professionally recognized in many ways including Chairman of the Behavioral Sciences Division, of the Louisiana Academy of Sciences, Assistant Director of the State Science Fair, Member of the Board-Louisiana Psychological Association, Chairman and later President of the Louisiana Scientific Affairs Committee. During this time, he also served as pastor to the congregation at Kisatchie Baptist Church. In 1970, Dr. Kemp moved his family to Northern Louisiana where he became Professor and Chairman of the newly established Psychology Department at LSU Shreveport. During this time, Dr. Kemp recruited professors from throughout the United States and as far away as Asia to join the burgeoning program. By 1979, Dr. Kemp had been confirmed and appointed Dean of the new graduate school in psychology. The graduate school is nationally accredited, providing the highest level of graduate education. Additional honors bestowed on Dr. Kemp include President Louisiana Academy of Sciences, Governor appointed Chairman of the Louisiana State Board of Examiners, Representative for Louisiana and Arkansas to the American Psychological Association Governing Council, and President of the Northwest Louisiana Psychological Association. He was also the founder and first president of Alpha Guarde, an organization for retired employees of LSUS.
While Dr. Kemp's professional accolades were many, most of us will remember "The Old Gent" for his non-professional accomplishments. As lifetime lover of sports, he coached and supported countless young people in both basketball, baseball, and even track & field. In a broad departure from his academic life, The Old Gent cleared and farmed significant tracks of land in both Black Lake and Gloster, Louisiana. His 600-acre Gloster property supported over 200 head of cattle. The family would like to express their sincere appreciation and thanks to everyone at Tribute Senior Living in Prosper, Texas for their diligent and loving watch over Dr. Kemp for the past two years. They would like to especially thank Donnetta, Marlene, and Dreamer for their above and beyond, tender loving care. Finally, and most importantly, as a family man, he led by example. His foundation was his faith and accepting Jesus Christ as his personal savior when he was a child. He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Rita Beth Kemp, his son Bradley Sterling and wife, Rocio, daughter Kelly Graves, grandsons Sterling Kemp and wife, Sara and Allen Sebastian, great grandchildren Tyler, Austin, and Suzy, and two grand dogs Gracie May and Emmy. He was preceded in death by his beloved son-in-law, Kevin Graves. A funeral service was held at 4:00 p.m., Tuesday, May 31, 2022 at Turrentine-Jackson-Morrow Funeral Home Chapel, 2525 Central Expressway North, Allen, Texas 75013. To convey condolences or to sign an online registry, please visit TJMfuneral.com.