Betty J. Kempf

Betty Kempf, 86 of Kearney passed away Thursday, April 10, 2025 at her home surrounded by family. Memorial services are 10:00 a.m. Thursday, May 15, 2025 at First Lutheran Church with Rev. Dr. Michelle Holley Carlson and Rev. Dr. Rick Carlson officiating. Interment will follow at the First Lutheran Church Columbarium. Betty was born August 29, 1938 in Minden, Nebraska. She was the only daughter and the fourth of five children of Nels and Luella (Meyer) Tomsen. The family lived southeast of Minden, on a farm that was homesteaded in 1887 by Betty’s paternal grandfather, Anton Tomsen. Betty attended Minden public schools in grades kindergarten through 12 and graduated in 1956 with a class of 46 members. After high school she attended the University of Nebraska at Lincoln where she began her education to become a teacher. She transferred to UNK in 1959 and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Education in January, 1960. She also earned her Master of Education Degree in Counseling in 1964 and her Specialist Degree in School Psychology in 1977 from UNK. Betty was a public school educator in Iowa for one year and in Nebraska for 31 years. She began her career as an English teacher, then became a school counselor, and then was the first full-time school psychologist for the Kearney public schools. She retired in 1997. Betty joined the Gamma Phi Beta sorority at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln in 1957. In 1963 she worked with five other women to colonize the Gamma Kappa Chapter of Gamma Phi Beta at UNK. In order to do this, a requirement was the establishment of a local alumni group. Betty served as this group’s first chairperson and was active in the local and national organization throughout her life. She was proud to have her three daughters, two granddaughters and a niece also join her sorority. Betty and Fred met while attending Summer session classes at Kearney State College (now UNK) in 1962. At that time Betty was teaching in Kearney and Fred was teaching in Arnold, Nebraska. They were married June 6, 1963. They both received Master’s Degrees in the summer of 1964 and moved to North Platte, Nebraska where they were counselors from 1964 to 1967 before moving to Iowa City. They returned to Kearney in 1969 and it has been their home since that time. Betty was a life-long Lutheran. She was baptized, confirmed and married at Fredericksburg Lutheran Church in rural Kearney County and became a member of First Lutheran in Kearney in 1969. She was a member of Gloria Circle from its beginning and served two terms as the President of the First Lutheran Women. She was an active participant in the Nebraska Synodical Women’s Organization and in weekend servant retreats of the Saved to Serve group where she made many friends with Lutheran women from across Nebraska. She also enjoyed UNK Faculty Wives and the Red Hat Society. Betty helped to establish the Betty Group in Kearney—no Elizabeths allowed, and helped organize a statewide conference of women named Betty. She enjoyed cooking for others, was an avid gardener, and loved playing Some-R-Set with family and Bridge with friends. Grandparenting was her favorite hobby. She built strong bonds with her daughters and their families who will forever remember her playful nature and love for her family. Betty and Fred’s 60th Anniversary weekend in June 2023 was a special memory as family traveled from near and far to attend. Betty is preceded in death by her parents, Nels and Luella Tomsen; and brothers, Donald, Willis (Tiny), Charles, and Jim. She is survived by her husband, Fred, of 62 years, daughters Kimberly Leonard (Charlie), Kathryn Smith (Greg), Amy Graham (Brian); grandchildren Tomsen Leonard (Caitlin), Russell Leonard, Bryce Smith, Nicole Smith, Kari Smith, Abigail Graham, Zoe Graham, Corbin Graham (Malarie), and great granddaughter, Raenie Graham. Memorials are suggested to the First Lutheran Church or to the “Kempf Family Scholarship for Gamma Kappa Chapter of Gamma Phi Beta at UNK.” Please have the checks made out to the University of Nebraska Foundation, 2204 University Drive, Suite 103, Kearney, NE 68845 with “in memory of Betty Kempf” in the memo. Condolences may be shared online at www.osrfh.com. Services are entrusted to O’Brien Straatmann Redinger Funeral and Cremation Services.

Betty J. Kempf

August 29, 1938 - April 10, 2025