Frances Ardell (Opheim) Kempf, age 90, of North Platte, NE, passed away peacefully on Sunday, August 1, 2021 at Great Plains Hospital in North Platte.
Born June 3, 1931 in Mobridge, S.D. she was the daughter of the late Alton and Edith (Hoffman) Opheim.
Frances graduated from Selby High School in Selby, S.D. in 1949, and went on to get her Associate degree in secretarial training from the University of S.D. in Vermillion. She was baptized, confirmed and married her husband of 47 years, Roy Kempf on July 25, 1953 at Bethany Lutheran Church in Selby, S.D. Frances worked as a secretary at Aberdeen Federal Savings and Loan/Drager-Marshall Realty, Liberty Mutual Insurance Company in San Francisco, CA; General Mills Research Division in Minneapolis, MN; Good Samaritan Society and St. John’s College in Winfield, KS; and the Presbyterian Church in North Platte, NE. She was an active member of First Lutheran Church in North Platte, where she served the church as Circle President and Secretary, WELCA (President – 1 term), and sang in the Choir. She loved volunteering and served as RSVP volunteer, Hospital volunteer with over 4348 hrs. as of 2018. She served as a Board Member with the North Platte Community Playhouse, and was a lifetime member of the Sweet Adelines chorus and quartet. Frances also loved to travel with family and friends to visit other parts of the country.
She was preceded in death by her husband, Roy; and parents, Alton and Edith.
Frances is survived by her daughter, Lori Evans; son, Randy (Cindy) Kempf; grandchildren, Brandi Hayes (Phil), Benjamin and Bethany Kempf; great grandchildren, Lennox and Maddox Hayes; brother, Elwyn (Jalayne) Opheim; and sister, Phyllis (Pepper) Martin.
Funeral services will be held at 9:30 a.m. on Thursday, August 5, 2021 at First Lutheran Church, North Platte with Pastor Patrick Sipes officiating (casket will be closed for the service). Burial will follow in Ft. McPherson National Cemetery near Maxwell, NE.
Friends are invited to visit from 1 to 7 p.m. on Wednesday, August 4th with the family receiving friends from 5 to 7 p.m. at Carpenter Memorial Chapel in North Platte, NE.
Memorial contributions may be made to the Roy and Fran Kempf Memorial Music Fund c/o: First Lutheran Church. Arrangements have been entrusted to Carpenter Memorial Chapel in North Platte. Online condolences and sharing of memories may be directed to www.carpentermemorial.com.