Reverend Dale J. Kemppainen

He was born on February 19, 1938, in Bruce Crossing, to the late John and Viola (Korri) Kemppainen. He grew up in Chassell, where he attended local schools. He graduated from Michigan Technological University in 1959, and the University of Michigan with a graduate degree in nuclear engineering in 1969.

On February 4, 1961, he was united in marriage to Jeanne K. Wierimaa.

Following a career in the General Electric Company, Dale entered the Pacific Lutheran Theological Seminary in Berkeley, California in 1992, to pursue a calling to the ministry. He served congregations in San Francisco, California, Las Vegas, Nevada, Wilmington, North Carolina, New Bern, North Carolina, and the Lutheran Student Campus Ministry. Dale was very passionate about his ministry and being able to share it with others.

He especially enjoyed spending time with his large family, summers in Chassell, sailing, amateur radio, and traveling throughout the world.

He is survived by his wife, Jeanne; and sons, Jon (Susan) Kemppainen of Austin, Texas, Karl (Lynda) Kemppainen of New Bern, North Carolina, and Paul (Tiffany) Kemppainen of Hawthorn, California; exchange student son, Derek (Marion) Burger of Sankt Augustin, Germany; and six grandchildren, Evan, Leah, Hannah, Reagan, Piper, and Kahlo.

A memorial service will be held at St. Matthews Lutheran Church in Wilmington, North Carolina, on June 15, 2019.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation in Dale’s name to Holy Trinity Lutheran Church in Chassell, or the Chassell Heritage Center in Chassell, a heritage site of the Keewenaw National Historic Park, a historic school built in 1919, in which both of Dale’s parents taught for several years and that Dale himself attended.