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Fuller Hale-South Funeral Services obituary
1621 South Cherry Street
Pine Bluff, Arkansas 71601
Phone: 870-534-2120

Robert L. "Bob" Kemp
May 10, 1933 - July 16, 2016

Robert Lynn “Bob” Kemp, 83, of Pine Bluff, passed away Saturday, July 16, 2016.



Born May 10, 1933 at National City, California, he was the son of the late Robert Otho Brunning Kemp and Crystal Faye Chester Kemp. He was reared and educate throughout many areas of the country due to his father serving in the Navy.



Bob graduated from high school in Corpus Christi, TX in 1951. During this time, Bob met and later married his high school sweetheart, Jo Ann Bethel on August 25, 1951.



Bob went to college on a basketball scholarship for a short time at San Marcus State College. He then transferred to Texas A&M University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science in animal husbandry in 1955.



After graduation, Bob worked for county extension agencies around South Texas. His work in the cattle industry ended up taking him to Louisiana and finally to Arkansas.



Bob loved training horses. He was a horseman first of all and a cowboy second. He was a judge for the American Quarter Horse Association, and judged horse shows all around the United States and Canada. His passion was team roping.



In 1969, Bob went to work for the Arkansas Department of Health as a sanitarian. During his career with the Health Department system, Bob ended up as administrator of the Grant County Health Unit, from which he retired in 1999.



He was an active member Good Faith-Carr United Methodist Church, and served on several committees, including his favorite, which was teaching the Unity Sunday school class.



In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his loving wife of 60 years,

Jo Ann Kemp, on March 21, 2012; and a brother, Emery Lee Kemp.



Mr. Kemp is survived by his children, David Kemp and wife Trenna and

Tom Kemp and wife Vivian, all of Pine Bluff, and Donna O’Neal and husband Cotton of Bossier City, LA; grandchildren, Christopher Kemp and wife Brittany, Jason Ross and wife Lauren, Matthew Ross and wife Chelsea, Cody Kemp, Ryan Kemp, Dylan Kemp, Matthew O’Neal and wife Anna, and Sarah O’Neal Hatcher and husband Cliff; great-grandchildren, Emerie Grace Ross, Judd Hickmon, along with three more “on the way’; and many other loving family and friends, including his best friend, Don Mann.



Funeral services will be Wednesday, 11:00 a.m. at Fuller Hale-South Funeral Chapel with Brother Tom Smithwick officiating. Interment will follow in Fitzhugh Cemetery.



Visitation will be Tuesday, 6-8 p.m. at the funeral home.



The family wishes to extend their gratitude to Gina Wooldridge, along with the Hospice Angels, Summer, Chasity, Lisa, and Billie for their loving care of Bob.



Memorials may be made to the Unity Sunday school class at Good Faith-Carr United Methodist Church, 3703 Ryburn Road, Pine Bluff, AR 71603.



Online condolences: FullerFunerals.com