Obit – Mr. Johnny Kemp Sr.
Flatrock Community resident, Mr. Johnny Kemp Sr. died at 2:08 a.m. Wednesday morning August 30, 2023 at the Riverview Regional Medical Center in Carthage after becoming gravely ill at his South Lovers Lane home. Mr. Kemp was 70 years of age.
Arrangements are under the direction of the Carthage Chapel of Sanderson Funeral Home. Mr. Kemp had made the decision to donate his body to the Vanderbilt University Medical Center for anatomical study and following the study he will be cremated.
A private memorial graveside service and interment for the family will be held at a later date in section two at the Ridgewood Cemetery in Carthage.
Born John Morgan Kemp on December 1, 1952 at the then former Martha Gaston Hospital in Lebanon, he was the son of the late J. B. Kemp of the Difficult Community who died at the age of 75 on September 4, 1997 and Defeated Creek Community native Gladys Mai Anderson Butler who died at the age of 81 on March 12, 2002.
Mr. Kemp would been a member of the class of 1970 at Smith County High School, but elected to receive his General Education Degree.
He was united in marriage on Christmas Day, December 25, 1974, at the Smith County Courthouse to South Carthage native, the former Jammie Denell Mofield.
They were preceded in death by a son, Jason Matthew Kemp, who died as the result of a motorcycle accident on November 12, 2017 at the age of 27.
A brother, Robert Key Kemp, preceded Johnny in death on July 11, 2018 at the age of 79.
Mr. Kemp was retired from Peterson Tool Co. in Nashville in 2006 as a tool and die maker.
Mr. and Mrs. Kemp are members of the Plunketts Creek Missionary Church in the Rock City Community.
Mr. Kemp was a member of the Difficult Masonic Lodge # 451 of Free and Accepted Masons where he had served as the Worshipful Master. He received his Entered Apprentice Degree April 9, 1994, passed to the Degree of Fellowcraft on June 11, 1994 and raised to the sublime degree of Master Mason on June 30, 1994.
In addition to the Difficult Masonic Lodge, he was active in other Masonic and Shriner’s circles having been a member of the Smith County Shrine Club, Knight Councilors of the Cross, was the Past Illustrious Master of the Lebanon Council of Cryptic Masons #109, Arch Erwin McClanahan Council # 358, the Lebanon Royal Arch Masons Chapter # 25 of which he was a past High Priest, the Tennessee Grand Council of Anointed High Priests, Past Commander Baldwin Commandery #7 of Knights Templer, the Red Cross of Constantine and was a 32nd Degree Scottish Rite Mason.
Surviving in addition to his wife Jammie of over forty eight years is another son, John Morgan “Beaver” Kemp Jr. and wife Misty of the Tanglewood Community and their daughter Amelia; special nephew, David Kemp of the Riddleton Community; sister-in-law, Mary Belle Thompson Kemp of the Kenny’s Bend Community; sister, Sally Kemp Pharris and husband Ed of Red Boiling Springs; father and step-mother-in-law, Floyd and Carolyn Culbreath Mofield of the Lock Seven Community; mother-in-law, Robbie Albritton Maddux of Carthage; aunt, Ruth Kemp Anderson of Carthage; brother-in-law, Jeffrey Mofield of South Carthage.
SANDERSON of CARTHAGE
