Rudolph G. Kempf

Rudolph Kempf, 95, Mandan, died Tuesday, October 6, 2009, at the Medcenter One Mandan Living Center. Services will be held at 1:30 pm Monday at Parkway Funeral Service, 2330 Tyler Parkway, Bismarck, with Rev. Darrel Aleson officiating. Burial will be held in the North Dakota Veteran’s Cemetery, Mandan, with military honors provided by VFW Post #1326. Visitation will be held from 3:00 pm until 8:00 pm Sunday at Parkway Funeral Service, Bismarck, and will continue one hour prior to the service at the funeral home. Rudy was born July 31, 1914, in Ashley, ND, on his family’s farm, to Gottlieb and Lydia Rothfusz Kempf. During the Depression, he went out to Yakima, WA, with his brother, Ben, where they worked seasonal jobs, including apple picking, to send money home so the family could keep the farm. Later, he worked for the Civilian Conservation Corps in Wyoming building roads. He served in the Army from April 1942 until November 1945, stationed at Camp Barkeley, TX, and later in Abilene, TX, until he was honorably discharged at the rank of tech sergeant. Rudy then married Alvina Feil, also from Ashley, and attended the Houston school of Horology and Watch Making under the GI bill. After his graduation, the couple lived in Beaumont, TX, Redwood City, and Palo Alto, CA, where Rudy worked in jewelry stores. In 1957, Rudy’s younger brother, Ted, who was working in a jewelry store in Bismarck, had an opportunity to buy Knowles Jewelry, and asked Rudy if he would move back to North Dakota and be a partner with him. In 1975, the pair was approached by the owner of Strauss Jewelry in Minot about buying that store, so Rudy agreed to move to Minot to manage that store, which he did until he retired in 1984. After his retirement he moved back to Bismarck where he continued to do watch repair and clock work for Knowles Jewelry. In his later years, he enjoyed visiting his brother in Spokane, WA, and his daughter and son-in-law, in Florida, where one of his favorite things was watching his “granddogs” practice for dog agility shows. When his wife died, he lived at Valley View Heights, until he needed to move into the Medcenter One Mandan Living Center. Always cheerful, Rudy was a beloved resident at both places. Rudy is survived by his daughter, Cynthia Kempf, and son-in-law, Andrew Bruck, of Jacksonville, FL; his brother, Ted Kempf of Bismarck, ND; his sister, Sylvia Brunskill of Champlin, MN; his nephews, Bob, Tom, Jeff, Mark, and Jerry Kempf, Steve and Doug Brunskill; and nieces, Susan Cossette, Connie Brunskill and Sylvia Schock. He was preceded in death by his wife, Alvina; his parents; his brothers, Ben and Art; his sister, Annetta; and his nephews, Vernon and Donald Schock.

Rudolph G. Kempf

July 31, 1914 - October 6, 2009