| The Kemper family came to Coleman in the summer of 1954, after my father,
Dr. Roy Frank Kemper, finished medical school in Dallas. Our mother,
Verla Joyce Perkins, (born January 13, 1924) and father (born March 1,
1923 in Cisco) were married at her parents home in Abilene, July 3, 1941.
After serving in World War II, Daddy pursued his education at McMurry and
entered medical school in Dallas. Mother was very young in years
and heart; many long summer nights, when Daddy was at the hospital, Mother
would stay out and play “kick the can” with us kids. On very special
days when all the laundry was done, we could talk her into performing.
You see, we had our very own circus embodied in our mother. She would
swing on our monkey bar and hang by her heels and if we squealed and clapped
loud enough, she would hang by her toes. Life was rather meager sometimes,
but some how we were able to afford one of the wonderful new 11 inch T.V.
sets.
Toward the end of Internship we hired a lady to help with the housework
and the new baby that would arrive in August. Mable Anderson was
to become a second mother to us, a simple woman, who’s life had been hard
and sad. When we came to Coleman, Mable came with us and lived with
us many years. She married John Moore of Coleman, and enjoyed life
fully, perhaps for the first time in her life.
Susan Lynn, nearest to me in age was a beautiful scrapping
“Tom Boy” who charmed all the boys as she beat them at football.
She was born in Abilene, September 12, 1947, after high school she graduated
from the University of Arkansas with a degree in Drama and English.
Susan married Jim Schuppenhauer in 1970, they have two sons, Lee Oliver
and Rob Allen. They now live in Houston where Jim is in the insurance
business and Susan is in Real Estate, but are planning to return to Coleman
soon.
Martin French was born in Abilene, February 11, 1949. We could
always count on him to be level headed and calm. We used to say he
was born an old man and gets younger with age. He attended Coleman
schools and graduated from McMurry with a degree in business. Martin
was married, June 21, 1969 to Karen Cervenka, daughter of Mr. and Mrs.
Joe Cervenka of Coleman. She graduated from McMurry, attended medical
school in Galveston, and now to the extreme pride of every one in the family
is Dr. Karen Kemper, doing her residency at Scott and White in Temple.
They have three children, Kelley, Grant Joseph and Ross Martin.
William Daniel (Kemp) was born in Dallas, January 26, 1950 and is the
clown of the family as every one who knows him can attest. He has
never met a stranger and has never heard a story he can’t top. Kemp
attended Coleman schools then went to Cisco Jr. College, South West Texas
State, and The American Christian College in Tulsa. He married Kaylene
Roberts in 1972. They now live in Abilene with their children Heather,
Bryan and Scott.
Alan Roy was born August 16, 1953 in Dallas. He grew to be the
gentle philosopher of the family. After attending American Christian
College in Tulsa, he married Julie Epperly, December 25, 1976. They
now live in Houston where Alan works with Jim Schuppenhauer in the insurance
business. Julie and Alan have two boys, Michael and Joshua.
Anita Jane was born May 28, 1956 in Dallas, although we were living
in Coleman by then. The only one of our family who has spent almost
all of her life in Coleman. Anita married John Cash (see John T. Hardin),
in January of 1974. They had one son, John Harmon (Jach), after 3
1/2 years of marriage, they were divorced. In 1978, Anita married
Gene Tomlinson (born December 5, 1961). They live in Coleman.
They have one daughter, Jennifer Ann. Anita works for Liveoak Real
Estate, and Gene has been in the oil business for many years.
Lastly, myself, Judia Faye, born July 27, 1942 in Abilene. I would
probably be described as the eccentric artist in the family. My name,
Judia, is my paternal grandmother’s (Maude Judia Kemper) maiden name and
is pronounced “Judy.” I attended Coleman schools and McMurry College,
was married in 1962 to Don Gaines (born September 6, 1942) son of Dennis
and Grace Gaines of Coleman. We have two children, Gina Gay and Mathew
Kemper. Don and I were divorced in 1971. Gina lives in Austin
and attends U.T., Mathew is a sophmore at Coleman High School and is interested
in farming and ranching. I have a display business in Austin, teach
art here in Coleman, and continue to paint portraits (my first love).
Our mother, V. J., successfully built her own business (Live Oak Real Estate).
She lives in Coleman with her mother, Hester Cornelius Perkins Fox (born
June 16, 1893) who moved to Coleman in 1979. Hester was first married
to Eli Perkins (who had the second wild cat well in the “Ranger Oil Boom”),
he died in 1933 and is buried in Abilene. In 1940 she married Darby
Daniel Fox, this charming Irishman was full of love for his new family.
He died in 1974 and is buried in Abilene. In 1981 Oretha Jane Cornelius
Whitworth (born August 9, 1902) also moved here. She and Hester are
the daughters of James Taylor and Celia Ulmer McCleskey Cornelius.
Oretha and her husband lived in Amarillo where she taught speech at Amarillo
High School. “Whit,” was a druggist and very active in the Shriners
until his death. Oretha is a big asset to the community, she helped
organize Meals on Wheels, works with the Hospital Auxiliary, and is active
in the Methodist Church. Hester attends church and still paints in
her spare time. My father’s parents, William Oliver Kemper and Maude
Judia Kemper, are in wonderful health and a blessing to our family.
They live in Abilene. W. O. “Sappy” still ranches and helps my son Mathew
with his cattle (not many boys can learn ranching from their great-grandfather).
An interesting tidbit I discovered, W. O. Kemper helped organize the Coleman
Production Credit Association. Even though he lived and worked in
Abilene, he was connected with Coleman long before we came here.
W. O. owned the old Cattle Auction in Abilene and told me recently (with
a twinkle in his bright blue eyes) about a young man with a lot of “savey”
who came many years ago and asked for his first job. That young man,
Dwayne Edington, later went on to open the Coleman Livestock Auction.
Our father died June 3, 1982 and is buried in the old Cedar Gap Cemetery
(south of Abilene), beside his grandparents (the first of our family to
come to Texas).
(Images to be added)
Back row: Mat and Judia Gaines, Mark, Steve, Jan (Steve’s wife),
Alan, Kemp, and Martin Kemper, and Jim Schuppenhauer; third row: Jane and
Eric Perkins, Louise (Eric’s mother), Susan Schuppenhauer, Kaylene, and
Karen Kemper; second row: Anita Tomlinson, Gina Gaines, Dr. Lynn Perkins
(V. J. ‘s brother), Hester Perkins Fox, and V. J. Perkins Kemper; front
row: Lee Schuppenhauer, Bryan Kemper, Jennifer, Rob Schuppenhauer, Jach
Cash, Scott, Heather, Grant and Kelley Kemper. (1983)
Judia and Susan (standing in the back), Kemp (standing in front),
Dr. Roy Frank Kemper, Alan, Vj Kemper holding Anita, and Martin.
Oretha J. Whitworth 1981
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