William Dewey Kempe

William Dewey Kempe

• Father: William Kempe b. 17 March 1887, d. 17 February 1971
• Mother: Emily H. McCracken b. 4 April 1894, d. 28 August 1981

• William Dewey Kempe was born on 3 June 1915 in Texas.
• Joseph A. Jones and Josephine Bourke appeared in the US federal census of 1 January 1920 in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas, at 1225 Clinton Avenue. Other members of the household included William Dewey Kempe, Melvin Dewey Jones, Dixie Mae Jones, Raymond Henry Jackson, George Richard Jackson, William Joseph McCracken, William Kempe, Emily H. McCracken, Dixie Ruth Kempe and Emily Angeline Smith. William Kempe and family also were enumerated in Wichita County, likely because the Tarrant enumeration occurred on 15 January and later, on 23 March, in Wichita County.
• William Kempe and Emily H. McCracken appeared in the US federal census of 1 January 1920 in Wichita County, Texas. Other members of the household included William Dewey Kempe, Dixie Ruth Kempe. The family also was enumerated with Emily's family in Fort Worth, likely because the Tarrant enumeration occurred on 15 January and later, on 23 March, in Wichita County.
• He married Millie Leverne Wharton, daughter of John Eyra Wharton and Ola Fern Graham.
• The following appeared on 27 December 1961 in the Corsicana Daily Sun: Seven-year-old William Dewey Kempe Jr., whose father said he was "old enough to look after himself" walked out of his house during an argument between his father and a woman and was crushed to death under the wheels of a car shortly before Monday midnight.
       The accident came at the end of a Christmas night in which the motherless boy had been left with two younger children for several hours while his father partied at a beer tavern.
       The driver of the car, John Tonetti, 19, said the boy darted in front of the auto.
       The father William Dewey Kempe Sr., said he and his girl friend, Mrs. Maxine Harris, 28, were involved in a heated argument when the boy walked out of the room.
       Kempe, 46, a construction foreman, said he was not disturbed when his son left saying:  "He does it all the time. He goes outside late at night to play."
       Kempe, his girl friend and her sister and brother-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Chuck Foster, spent about three hours Christmas night drinking and dancing.
       Young Dewey was left at home in charge of the Fosters' children, 6 and 3.
       Asked if he thought Dewey was old enough to be in charge of the younger children, the father replied: "Why not, he's old enough to look after himself."
       Dewey lives with an aunt and uncle, Mr. and Mrs. Albert T. Pulsifer, during school months. He had gone to his father's home Christmas Eve to spend the holiday with his parent. His mother died when he was an infant. During the summer he lives with his father.
       Peace Justice Jim Boorman ruled the death as accidental. 
• The following appeared on 4 January 1991 in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram: Dixie R. Pulsifer, a homemaker, died Wednesday at her Fort Worth home. She was 77.
       Graveside service will be at 2 p.m. Saturday at Mount Olivet Cemetery.
       Mount Olivet Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
       Mrs. Pulsifer was a lifelong resident of Fort Worth. She was a member of Rosen Heights Church of Christ.
       Survivors: Son, Jimmy Pulsifer of Palmyra, Mo; daughter, Mary Ruth Allen of Warren, Ore; two brothers, William Dewey Kempe of Azle and Frank Kempe of Arlington; sister, Esther Perry of Fort Worth; and one grandchild.
• The SSDI lists Tarrant County, Texas, as the last residence of record of William Dewey Kempe.
• William Dewey Kempe died on 22 May 1995 at age 79 in Azle, Tarrant County, Texas.
• He was buried at Mount Olivet Cemetery in Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas.
• The following appeared in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram: (Azle) William Dewey Kempe, 79, a retired refrigeration mechanic, died Monday at an Azle nursing home. Graveside service: 3 p.m. Thursday in Mount Olivet Cemetery. Visitation: 10 a.m. to Noon Thursday at The Memorial Chapel in White Settlement. The Memorial Chapel. White Settlement, 246-4988.

• Last Edited: 4 Jan 2011