Barbara (Grote) Kemp

Barbara Kemp passed away peacefully April 6, 2022, at her home surrounded by her loving family.  She was born November 8, 1946 in Indianapolis to Raymond and Rita Grote.
Barbara vividly remembered the day she moved into her new home at the age of four, she looked out the window and saw a boy with his dog, pulling a wagon down the street.  She quickly became friends with his family, and years later she began dating that boy, attending frequent school dances, the prom, and then marrying that boy with the dog and a wagon, Donald Grant Kemp Jr, in 1967.
In childhood, Barbara was a model student and athlete at Holy Spirit Grade School in Indianapolis where she eventually acted as a student teacher to younger students and yet was more well-known as the star kickball player who kicked the ball clear over the school and church every game.  She also enjoyed singing in the church choir at all masses each weekend and the Catholic Youth Organization.

Barbara graduated from Scecina Memorial High School in Indianapolis in 1964, top-ranked in her class.  She had many jobs growing up from babysitting to painting houses and garages, fixing fences, repairing roofs, planting a garden, and more.  She started a job at age 16 working for the phone company as an Operator, saved money and bought her own clothes and her first car, a red Volkswagon Bug.  What surprised her most as she later reflected about the time was how long clothing and hairspray lasted once she married and moved away from her 7 younger siblings, whom she adored as she teased them or told them scary stories if they didn’t go to bed on-time.
Engaged at age 16, Barbara also began saving up for her wedding dress, which she bought then sewed and modified in various ways to improve it before the big day.  Don returned from Vietnam in 1967, and the two were married at Holy Spirit Church after a hilarious story about getting the marriage license, which you’ll have to hear about in person from a family member at her services.  Married on Easter Sunday afternoon, permitted only with a special request to the Diocese she had to make in advance, as Don was required to report for duty in Delaware in the next few days.  If you knew Barbara, you know she was quick on her feet when resolving issues in nearly every situation and these were not exceptions.  That said, her biggest challenge on wedding day was getting time alone in their 1-bath home to a family of 10.
After learning to cook for 2 instead of 10, she decided to take up political actions and phoned into the radio stations regularly to speak about the women’s rights, minorities, and a myriad of topics popular in the 1960’s.  An athlete, adventurist, and used to working with young people, she became a Boy Scout Leader, and one of her favorite events was white-water rafting.  This time in life had an impact on how she raised her children, having three daughters in Scouts who each became Scout Leaders and all grandchildren participating in Scouting, including two Eagle Scouts, Sean and Ryan.
Moving back to Indianapolis and beginning a family, Barbara and Don loved traveling, camping, and boating.  Weekends and week-long vacations were well prepared events, packing the GTO or later the van to camp somewhere in the continental United States.  Barbara made it to all the Lower 48 States.  Yes, this adventure began in the ‘70’s and the photos of Don and Barbara and their personally-customized van are must-see’s.
Barbara did go back to the phone company in Indy.  She worked up until mandatory leave, which in that day meant she had to quit her job to have a baby.  Always a hard worker, her old boss called her back to work again after her second baby and she decided to work there a little while.
After work and while the girls were in school, and between college classes at Indiana University, Barbara and Don ran the local t-ball league for a few years.  Coaching a team and umpiring was Don’s role while Barbara played practice assistant coach (watch for line drives from her power swing, kids!) and running the concession stand on game nights.  There were many exciting nights at the ball field for Barbara, especially that one time the phone pole that carried electricity to the metal concession stand was struck by lightning with Barbara still in it!
In the mid- ‘80’s Barbara, Don and their three girls, Susan, Cheryl, and Sarah moved to New Jersey as Barb and Don took rotational job assignments at Bellcore in Morristown.  Barbara picked up a Scout Mother role right away and took Sarah’s troop camping.  She’d lent out her camping gear while Susan and Cheryl were scouting in Indy and brushed it off for another fun season with Sarah in New Jersey.  Barbara was THE mom who knew how to camp and cook for the crowds and Sarah can tell great stories of that first outdoor camping adventure ever for all the other girls and moms in the troop.  So funny!!
Barbara also had a secret job assignment while working for Bellcore in the Washington DC area for which she needed top security clearance, and all the neighbors back in Indy took time to make a long-distance call to ask why the secret service had come asking questions about the whole family.  She was sworn to secrecy and couldn’t exactly tell us why, but we know she had something to do with National Emergency Preparedness.  She did in fact write the book on the subject then, and another one a few years later.  The newer one is called “Handbook of Next-Generation Emergency Services.”  We think she should have also written one about the challenges as a working woman in the corporate life in the late 20th century, especially the part about when the DC folks asked her to live in the bunker with the President and others should the nukes fall and the world needed smart people to rebuild the planet.  She said “no” when they said she couldn’t take her family with her.
The late ‘80’s brought them to Illinois.  Family and friends visited from far and wide for many years to their home, especially for holidays.  Barbara was crowned the “Queen of Thanksgiving” after consecutive decades of hosting for crowds of family and friends.  Photo available of this momentous occasion.
Don and Barbara retired from Ameritech in the ‘90’s and ventured off to Colorado where Barbara was invited to a new role as Senior Vice President of ICG Telecom.  What brought them back to Illinois?  Grandchildren of course!
Barbara enjoyed her children and grandchildren immensely, traveling to sporting events, scout events, musical performances, and recognition events.  She also loved reading books to them and to her friends, as she was a member of multiple book clubs, jazzercise coffee clubs, Village volunteer work for Barrington Hills, and more in the Barrington area in her semi-retirement.  Barbara never really stopped working, owning multiple businesses to the end, and we laughed at her work-from-above when somehow all the plans we were making for her final arrangements that were experiencing multiple roadblocks due to Easter holidays suddenly worked into place just as the family had hoped.
Barbara is survived by her husband of 55 years, Donald; children, Susan (Patrick) Kenny, Cheryl (Chris) Hagen, and Sarah (Roberto) Brenes; grandchildren, Sean and Ryan Kenny, Connor and Ciara Hagen, Juliana Miller, and Natalia Brenes; siblings, Janet (David) Embler, Mark (Jeannie) Grote, Dennis (Beth) Grote, Rachael (Michael) Reddick, Kathy (late Rex) Lawrence, and David (Dar) Grote; sister in law, Luz Grote, her brother-in-law Jim (Deanna) Kemp, sisters-in-law Kathy (Jim) Smith and Patty (late David) Ooley, and many nieces, nephews, and dear cousins.  She was preceded in death by her parents, and her brother, Al Grote.
Visitation is 4-7pm, Sunday April 10 at St. Anne Catholic Church, 120 N. Ela Street, Barrington.  A second visitation is Monday, April 11 at the church beginning at 10am until the Mass of Christian Burial at 11am.  Burial to follow.

In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made in Barbara's name to the American Cancer Society by clicking here or to St. Anne Catholic Community, 120 N. Ela Street, Barrington, IL 60010.