Gilbert “Gibby” Vernon Kempf

Gilbert “Gibby” Vernon Kempf

Gilbert “Gibby” Vernon Kempf, of Castroville, passed away on July 3, 2018 in San Antonio at the age of 82 years. He was born June 19, 1936 in Castroville, the second of three children born to Ulrich Benjamin “U.B.” Kempf and Florence Theresa Conrad Kempf. In 1954, Gibby graduated from St. Louis High School and joined the Navy Reserves shortly thereafter.
For 47 years Gibby worked in the wholesale plumbing supply business in San Antonio. He was a member of St. Louis Catholic Church, St. Louis Men’s Society, American Legion Weiss-Wurzbach Post #460 (past commander), former Cub Master for the Cub Scouts, Plumbing Heating Cooling Contractor’s Association and had served on St. Louis Parish Council. Over the past few years, he also supplied numerous people with hundreds of shelled pecans for cooking, baking and gift giving.
On October 9, 1955, he married Sylvia “Susie” Haby at St. Louis Catholic Church. Gibby and Susie were blessed with sixty-two years of marriage, six children, eleven grandchildren and ten great grandchildren. Gibby was preceded in death by his parents, Ulrich Benjamin “U.B.” Kempf and Florence Theresa Conrad Kempf and brothers-in-law, Delvin Bippert and Patrick Fleming.
Survivors include his wife, Sylvia “Susie” Haby Kempf of Castroville; children, Joel (Cheryl) Kempf of Bulverde, Greg (Carolyn) Kempf of Castroville, Louis (Crystal) Kempf of La Coste, Robert (Denise) Kempf of Castroville, Nancy Kempf of Castroville and Jill (Bobby) Alvarez of Hondo; grandchildren, Meghan Kempf, Loren Kempf, Kerri (Jacob) Zinsmeyer, Casey (Morgan) Kempf, Katelyn (Garret) Haegelin, Tara Kempf, Tiffany Kempf, Kristyn Kempf, Carlton Kempf, Colby Alvarez and Kolten Alvarez; great-grandchildren, Alexandra, Jack, Jaymee, Emma, and Guinevere Kempf, Kaylee, Emory, and William Zinsmeyer, Everett and Pierson Haegelin; sisters, Evangeline “Sissy” Bippert of San Antonio and Janice (Stephen) Haby of Castroville; in-laws, Ray (Rhonda) Haby of Castroville, Sandra Fleming of San Antonio as well as numerous nieces, nephews and other relatives.
Visitation was Sunday, July 8, 2018 from 3:00 pm to 4:45 pm at Tondre-Guinn Funeral Home, followed by the Mass of the Resurrection at 6:00 pm at St. Louis Catholic Church. Holy Rosary was Monday, July 9, 2018 at 10:00 am at St. Louis Catholic Church. Entombment followed at St. Louis Catholic Cemetery Garden Mausoleum. Memorials may be made in Gilbert’s memory to St. Louis Catholic School or the American Cancer Society.
Arrangements by Tondre-Guinn Funeral Home.