No headline

Sally Jo Kemper, 85

Sally Jo Kemper, age 85, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, Sept. 18, 2019. She was born on April 14, 1934, in Colville, Wash., and was predeceased by her parents, L. Barney and Irene (Miller) Olson and her sister, Patricia Avants (Olson). She attended school in Metaline Falls, Wash., and went to Washington State University and the Kelsey-Baird Secretarial School in Spokane, Wash.

Sally married Eugene G. Kemper on Sept. 10, 1954, and they recently celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary. Sally and Gene spent much of their free time at Sally’s family cabin on Lake Thomas, outside Colville. They were active in the Fraternal Order of Elks, in Wallace, Idaho. They also enjoyed traveling and camping with friends in Arizona and California.

Sally enjoyed many hobbies including genealogy, reading, sewing, gardening and crafting. She belonged to Beta Sigma Phi, was a volunteer at St. John Elementary School and was also a member of the St. John Garden Club. Throughout their married life Sally and Gene lived in Washington and Idaho, and in recent years St. John, Wash.

Sally was a homemaker while her three children were young. Once her children were grown, Sally worked in the secretarial pool at Day Mines and Hecla Mining Company, and eventually became the executive secretary to the president of Hecla Mining Company, until her retirement in 1993. Sally was a breast and ovarian cancer survivor and helped to promote breast cancer awareness. She organized women’s mammogram appointments and proudly participated in breast cancer survivor walks.

Sally is survived by her husband, Eugene Kemper; son, Don Kemper (wife, Lori); daughter, Patricia Hegge (husband, Thomas) and daughter, Corinne Klimek (husband, John); 10 grandchildren (including the late Jason Kemper) and 15 great-grandchildren.

A memorial service celebrating Sally’s life will be held at 11 a.m. on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2019, at the Bell Tower Funeral home in Post Falls. In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations may be made to the American Cancer Society in Sally’s name.