02/01/2012

David Kemp's funeral speech in its entirety

(David Kemp graciously provided his wrttien speech that he prepared for his father's funeral. Photo: David and Randy Kemp enjoy the beach during a family vacation to the Gulf of Mexico.)

A few days ago a newspaper reporter asked me to describe my father in just one word.  I struggled to think as a hundred adjectives flashed through my mind: passionate, selfless, inspirational, humorous, approachable, godly, and exceptional.  I decided that it was impossible to settle on just one description.  Throughout that day, as I spoke with people that knew him and read the countless notes and stories being shared, it became clear; the single word that summed him up most was “servant”.

You see, there are 2 words in the English language that my dad didn’t have much use for: “no” and “stranger”.  Dad was always eager and enthusiastic to serve anybody he crossed paths with.  He was up at 5am to make pancakes at church for men’s breakfast, he sacrificed many weekends to help friends and neighbors pack and move their belongings, and he showed great patience as he taught an uneasy teenager how to ride a motorcycle.  He also excelled at turning strangers into acquaintances, and acquaintances into friends.  His contagious smile and genuine care about others gave him an uncanny ability to connect with people in a profound way.  As one friend commented in a recent article, “he had a way of making you feel special even though he was the special one”.

Despite his busy schedule, my dad always had time to serve his family.  He taught me a great many things, like how to drive a stick shift, how to properly build a fire, and how to change the oil in my car.  He taught me to pray, to always respect women and my elders, and he taught me to stretch beyond my comfort zone.  I will never forget the time that I was 13 and my family toured a World War 2 battleship.  That particular day there happened to be a reunion of the surviving veterans who had served on that same ship some 50 years earlier.  When we noticed the war veterans gathering, I just rolled my eyes and shrugged-- apathy that is characteristic of most young teenagers.  I recall that dad forced me to approach the small group of men, shake their hands, and issue a scripted “thank you”.  But the instant I noticed the tears in the men’s eyes and their deep appreciation for our gratitude, my attitude changed.  I realized that dad had used these heroes to teach me the meaning and the value of sacrifice.  But of all the lessons I learned from my father, the most essential is this: the relationships we build with people—our family, friends, co-workers, and acquaintances—are the most important thing of all.  These relationships, as evidenced here today, extend beyond time and distance to bring us all closer together in our times of need.

That same reporter I mentioned earlier never asked me to describe myself in one word.  But if she had, I know now exactly which word I would choose—“proud.”  On second thought, I would change that to “overwhelmingly proud”.  I’m proud of my dad for all he accomplished as a journalist, a photographer, and a mentor. I’m proud of the shining example he set as a husband, a father, a co-worker, and a friend. But I am most proud of his amazing legacy and the lasting impression he left on everybody who had the privilege of knowing him.  May we all strive to attain his perpetual cheerfulness and his heart of a servant.