KEMPE, Arthur Joseph Kempe

Passed away peacefully surrounded by family at Tansley Woods Retirement Community, early Friday September 26th.  He was 91 years of age but just a few weeks short of his 92nd birthday.  Art was born on a small farm close to Biggar, Saskatchewan, October 12th, 1933. His parents were Josef Kempe and Margaret Mary Alder, young German immigrants.

He described his formative years from age 6, on Texada Island, B.C. as a ‘Huckleberry Finn type existence”. He left home to go to Grade 9 in Powell River and became a boarder with strangers at the age of 13. He went on to University of British Columbia and graduated in 1957 with a BASc Mechanical Engineering, Power Option degree.

He met the love of his life Virginia (Ginny) Hunt on a blind date and they married in 1956.  After graduation, they moved to Deep River, ON – where Art had a new position at Atomic Energy of Canada Ltd. at Chalk River. During the next 8 years, 2 sons were born, Paul and Andrew.

In 1965 they relocated to Oakville and spent the next 55 years there before moving to Burlington to a Seniors Residence.

Art worked for AECL all his life, and his career included some amazing experiences. He was the Project Manager for many large and successful projects including Wolsung 1 Nuclear Reactor in South Korea and the Cordoba Nuclear Reactor in Argentina. He was manager for many departments within AECL and has said that his Professional career was devoted to the Canadian CANDU Nuclear Power program.  One assignment was at the Princeton University Plasma Physics lab as Project Engineer on a fusion project.  After Ginny and Art left Princeton he was assigned to the AECL Design office in Taejon, South Korea where the resided for the next 2 years until retirement in 1993.

Art loved music from a young age and played the guitar at many family functions and camping trips. He credited his dancing skills as the reason Ginny said ‘yes’ to his proposal.  They loved to go camping for many years and he started out by actually making a homemade camper trailer. There were many different trailers over the years. They had a wonderful group of friends and loved parties and theatre together.

Before and after retirement, Art and Ginny travelled extensively – with a total country count of 33.  Art will be remembered as the guy who was always happy, smiling, & laughing.  He loved to be social and was a charter member of the North Oakville Probus Club, as well as holding memberships in many clubs they attended.

Art leaves behind his loving wife Ginny and sons Paul (Christine) and Andrew (Cia). Heartbroken are grandchildren Emily and Gordon.  He will leave a big hole in our lives as he sails on down the ‘Rivers of Babylon’.

Visitation will be held at Kopriva Taylor Community Funeral Home Monday September 29, 2025 from 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm.