It is with great sadness that the family of Mervin Charles Kempert announces his peaceful passing, with his daughter by his side, at the Dr. F.H. Wigmore Regional Hospital in Moose Jaw, SK on Monday, April 29th, 2024, in his 90th year.
Mervin was born May 8th, 1934, to Dorothy and Russell Kempert. He was raised in Woodstock, Ontario with his five siblings. Following high school, Mervin took a forestry course with plans to become a conservation officer. His plans changed when he felt God calling him to pastoral ministry after becoming a Christian and joining the Seventh-day Adventist Church in 1960. He began his ministerial training at Canadian Union College where he met Lillian Gabel who was dean of women. They married on June 3rd, 1962, which was a 52-year partnership.
Mervin began his pastoral ministry in the Martimes Conference serving all of Prince Edward Island and two churches in New Brunswick. It was while serving there, that Mervin and Lillian adopted two children, Kenneth, and Wanda.
Over his career, Mervin served the Seventh-day Adventist Church in the Martimes Conference, Illinois Conference, Manitoba-Saskatchewan Conference, and Minnesta Conference. During his time in the Manitoba-Saskatchewan Conference, he also served as chaplain of Park Manor and West Park Manor Personal Care Homes in Winnipeg and organized the start-up of the Adventist Community Service (ACS) in Winnipeg. He also had two learning stints at Loma Linda University in California where he took chaplaincy and classes in public health. After faithfully serving the church for 34 years, Mervin retired in 1999.
He was predeceased by his parents, Dorothy and Russell; brothers, George (Ruth Ann) and Wayne; sister, Velma Kirby; as well as his wife, Lillian (née Gabel) on December 3rd, 2014, and his son, Kenneth on October 18th, 2020. Mervin will be lovingly remembered by his daughter, Wanda (Rick Sheppard) of Moose Jaw, SK; daughter-in-law, Sandy of Hinckley, Minnesota; grandchildren: Christopher of Moose Jaw, SK, Myles of Kelowna, BC, and Jason of Hinckley, Minnesota; step-grandchildren: Tim, Michelle, and Shelley, all of Hinkley, Minnesota; great-grandchildren: Taydem, Geneva, Kai (his Papa Smurf), Isaiah, Izacc, and Cora; step-great-grandchildren: Samantha, Jorden, Jacob, Sydney, Kyle, Caleb, Haley, Katie, Arabella, Addie, and Declan; his step-great-great-grandchildren; sister, Sharron Van Wagoner; brother, Bill (Cathy) and sister-in-law, Ruth Ann (Frank Kennerly), all of Woodstock, Ontario.
A Celebration of Mervin’s Life will be held on Tuesday, May 14th, 2024 at 2:00 p.m. in the downstairs fellowship hall of the Moose Jaw Seventh-day Adventist Church. As an expression of sympathy, donations in Mervin’s name may be made to the Alzheimer Society of Saskatchewan, 2550 12th Avenue, Regina, SK S4P 3X1 - phone (306) 949-4141 or Winnipeg Adventist Community Services, 95 Stadacona Street, Winnipeg, MB R2L 1R1 - phone (204) 663-2278. Arrangements are entrusted to Moose Jaw Funeral Home, 268 Mulberry Lane. Gary McDowell, Funeral Director 306-693-4550 www.moosejawfuneralhome.com
