Sandi Hall Kemper

Sandi Hall Kemper stepped into Heaven in the early morning of August 23, 2017 after a brief stay in the Providence Hospice Center, Waco, Texas. She was 81 years old. A celebration of her life will be held on Friday, August 25 at 4:30 p.m. at Central Presbyterian Church, Woodway, Texas. The Rev. David Rodgers will be officiating. Sandi’s husband and daughter will speak, and a dear family friend will lead in hymns of praise. All are welcome. Sandi Hall was born in Clarksburg, West Virginia to Clayton Marshall Hall and Nadine Hardman Hall on Leap Year Day, their only child. She always had a great time celebrating her “real birthday” on Leap Year. She recently turned 20 and 80 on the same day, and was showered with cards that said, “Happy 20th birthday!” and “Happy 80th birthday!” She absolutely loved that. She also enjoyed telling complete strangers, “I’m 20 but my daughter is 53.” Her family moved to Fairmont, West Virginia, when she was a young girl. She graduated from Fairmont High School where she was head majorette, both leading the high school band and performing with her baton. Sandi was named a West Virginia Forest Festival Princess, representing her district of West Virginia, riding on the official float, and wore a princess gown of crimson velvet and taffeta. Sandi received her undergraduate degree, a Bachelor’s of Science in Home Economics, from West Virginia Wesleyan University, Buchhannon, West Virginia. She was an Alpha Gamma Delta and loved her sorority sisters. After graduation, she worked for GE for a period of time and then received her teaching certificate. She loved teaching, especially Kindergarten and first grade. She still talked even recently of her students. She had a passion for teaching children to read and so she worked toward and received her Master’s of Reading from West Virginia University, Morgantown, West Virginia. She got her Master’s at a time where she worked full time all day, came home to care for her child, drive at least thirty minutes on the winding roads to another town, to take night classes. She worked for a number of years as a Reading Specialist in Maryland. It was during this time that she met and married her husband, John Paul Kemper. They were married on December 19, 1971, and set out on a wonderful life together. She loved Paul with all she had. They would have been married 46 years this December. The Kempers moved to Amarillo, Texas, and Sandi took on her new role as stay-at-home-mom and CEO of the household. She was an active volunteer in the Amarillo community including at First Presbyterian Church, as a docent at the Amarillo Art Center, Bible studies, the Amarillo Symphony Guild, and just anywhere there was a need for helping hands, she joined in. She saw in people needs to be filled, and she would open her home and her kitchen. She loved to entertain both adults and youth, and the home was filled with teenagers and society alike. Sandi never met a stranger. Sandi loved to travel, especially on cruises. She visited the United Kingdom, China, Canada, various Caribbean Islands, Germany, Italy, France, the Panama Canal, Hawaii, Alaska, South America, Turkey, Spain, Greece, Switzerland, Austria, Lichtenstein, and many other destinations. She loved to read. She always had a book in hand, and couldn’t wait for the weekend addition of the Wall Street Journal to arrive. After Paul’s retirement, they moved to Sun City in Georgetown, Texas. Sandi thoroughly enjoyed her days in Sun City where she established the Wild Rose Ladies Club, made new friends, and became an active member of First Presbyterian Church of Georgetown. She served on the Decorating Committee for the expansion of First Presbyterian Church. In order to be closer to their daughter and granddaughter, Paul and Sandi moved to Waco, Texas. Sandi’s remaining years in Waco were spent active at Central Presbyterian and in the Waco community, including serving on the board for Newcomers and Neighbors, visiting with family and friends, and going to see her granddaughter in various performances as she grew up. The family eventually moved their church membership to First Baptist Woodway. Sandi was a bright, funny, active, intelligent woman with the ability to make people laugh and feel welcomed. She was often at her funniest when she wasn’t trying to be funny and she had the most infectious laugh. She was a gracious lady. Sandi was outstanding in keeping in touch with long-time friends and family. She would spend quality time on the phone talking to friends from elementary school, college roommates, friends she had known from Amarillo and Georgetown, and friends she had met on various travels. Sandi was a Christian, and because of this assurance she is with Jesus now, free of pain and full of life. John 14:1-4. She never missed an opportunity to pray for someone. She would learn of a need in someone’s life and pray and pray for that person and that situation. Sometimes, she would see a stranger in a difficult situation and she would ask him, “How may I pray for you?” She considered her greatest achievement her daughter, Diane, and her granddaughter, Morgan. She loved them fiercely. Sandi’s happiest moments were spending time with her Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, and with her beloved family. Sandi is survived by her husband, Paul Kemper; a daughter, Diane Kemper Williams; a granddaughter, Morgan Williams Dietrick, and her husband, Ethan Dietrick; her extended family in West Virginia, and many friends and family literally around the world. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the Alzheimer’s Association of your choice. The family invites you to leave a message or memory on our “Tribute Wall” at www.WHBfamily.com.