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Longtime resident of Polk County, Lavar Kempton died at his home in Salemtowne on Monday, October 19, 2009. Lloyd La"Var" Kempton was born November 8, 1922, in Eden, Arizona, to Sylvia Jane and Lloyd Heber Kempton.
The oldest of six children, he spent his early years helping on the family farm in Arizona. At the age of 18, Var married Louise Irwin on October 5, 1941, in Yuma, Arizona. Shortly after their marriage, Var joined the Navy to serve for three years during World War II as a Signal Corpsman aboard an Infantry Landing Craft (LCI) in the South Pacific. At the end of his military service commitment, Var and Louise settled in Southern California before moving with their three oldest children to Oregon in 1951. Living first in Roseburg, Oregon, then Winston, Oregon, Var worked initially as an auto mechanic and later became the manager of a Chevron Gas and Service Station. Eventually he went on to become the Shop Foreman and Service Manager for a car dealerships in Roseburg, and for a time he also instructed auto mechanics at a local community college. Overall, Var's automotive industry career spanned twenty-eight years from Arizona to Oregon. Never one to be idle, he and Louise even found time to manage the Benetta Theater in Winston and operate the food concession service for the Roseburg Auto Race Track.
In 1969, the Kemptons purchased the A&W Drive-In Restaurant in Independence, Oregon, and moved their family to the Willamette Valley. Over the next few years, the Kemptons expanded from one to three restaurants plus several other restaurant-related businesses. By 1981, Var and Louise were spending their time in both Oregon and Arizona before eventually retiring to Salemtowne in West Salem in 1994.
Var was extremely proud of his lifelong heritage as an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
After a sixty-eight year love affair, Var lost the love of his life on March 10, 2008. Var and Louise are survived by five children, Carolyn (Bill) Moore; John (Patty) Kempton; Rob (Marcia) Kempton; Brad (Chris) Kempton, and Deanna (Norm) Hewitt; thirteen grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. Var is also survived by his five siblings, Helen Callis; Leola Wadell, Bryce Kempton, Karen Griffin, and Lynne Perry.
Funeral arrangements are being handled by Restlawn Funeral Home in Salem, Oregon. Var's funeral will be held Friday, October 23, 2009, at 11 a.m.
The oldest of six children, he spent his early years helping on the family farm in Arizona. At the age of 18, Var married Louise Irwin on October 5, 1941, in Yuma, Arizona. Shortly after their marriage, Var joined the Navy to serve for three years during World War II as a Signal Corpsman aboard an Infantry Landing Craft (LCI) in the South Pacific. At the end of his military service commitment, Var and Louise settled in Southern California before moving with their three oldest children to Oregon in 1951. Living first in Roseburg, Oregon, then Winston, Oregon, Var worked initially as an auto mechanic and later became the manager of a Chevron Gas and Service Station. Eventually he went on to become the Shop Foreman and Service Manager for a car dealerships in Roseburg, and for a time he also instructed auto mechanics at a local community college. Overall, Var's automotive industry career spanned twenty-eight years from Arizona to Oregon. Never one to be idle, he and Louise even found time to manage the Benetta Theater in Winston and operate the food concession service for the Roseburg Auto Race Track.
In 1969, the Kemptons purchased the A&W Drive-In Restaurant in Independence, Oregon, and moved their family to the Willamette Valley. Over the next few years, the Kemptons expanded from one to three restaurants plus several other restaurant-related businesses. By 1981, Var and Louise were spending their time in both Oregon and Arizona before eventually retiring to Salemtowne in West Salem in 1994.
Var was extremely proud of his lifelong heritage as an active member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.
After a sixty-eight year love affair, Var lost the love of his life on March 10, 2008. Var and Louise are survived by five children, Carolyn (Bill) Moore; John (Patty) Kempton; Rob (Marcia) Kempton; Brad (Chris) Kempton, and Deanna (Norm) Hewitt; thirteen grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren. Var is also survived by his five siblings, Helen Callis; Leola Wadell, Bryce Kempton, Karen Griffin, and Lynne Perry.
Funeral arrangements are being handled by Restlawn Funeral Home in Salem, Oregon. Var's funeral will be held Friday, October 23, 2009, at 11 a.m.
