Kate J Kemmer

Kate J. Kemmer, age 66, passed away peacefully on Friday, November 6, 2026, at Bethlehem Woods in Fort Wayne, Indiana. A devoted wife, mother, grandmother, sister, and nurse, Kate lived a life defined by service, continuous learning, and an unyielding spirit of adventure.

Born on May 1, 1960, in Michigan, Kate was the daughter of the late William and Joan (Puckett) Orr. She graduated from Marion High School and went on to proudly serve her country in the United States Navy.

Kate deeply valued education and pursued learning throughout her entire life. She first earned an associate degree in business, followed by a bachelor's degree in psychology from Indiana Wesleyan University. She furthered her education with a master's degree in clinical psychology from the Alfred Adler Professional School of Psychology in New York, and later returned to Indiana Wesleyan to earn her degree as a Registered Nurse (R.N.).

Her diverse professional life reflected her passion for helping others. Kate worked as a Registered Nurse at Marion General Hospital and served as the former Director of Head Start, where she utilized her talent for grant writing to secure vital opportunities for others. She also dedicated her time and skills to Affordable Housing in Marion and Radiant Health Wellness Center. Beyond her professional career, she shared her leadership and love for sports as a former volleyball, basketball, and track coach at McCullough School.

Kate became a Christian at the age of 7, known to all as a thrill-seeker, Kate embraced life with high energy. She loved the excitement of riding motorcycles, snowmobiles, jet skis, and 4-wheelers, and she was always ready to ride a roller coaster. She was a meticulous cleaner, an avid proofreader, and possessed an unwavering commitment to any task she took on-once she committed to something, she never wavered. Kate also found great joy in vacationing, especially to the island of St. Martin, and she was an enthusiastic collector of clocks. Throughout her illness, she maintained an incredibly positive outlook and was never one to complain.

On January 5, 1985, Kate married the love of her life, Robert Lee Kemmer, who survives her.

She is also survived by her four daughters, Holly Johnson, June Kemmer, Andrea (David) Brewster, and Misty (Robert) Shaffer; three sisters, Sally Jenks, Jan (Don) Booster, and Stacy (Mike) Etters; seven grandchildren, Gracie Johnson, Chelsie Campbell, Gabriel Shaffer, Marrah (Levi) Smith, Bree Shaffer, Sheni Howell, and Meghan Brewster; and four cherished great-grandchildren, Alix, Atlas, Zelda, and Ryker.

Kate was preceded in death by her parents, William and Joan Orr, and her brother, Jason Orr.

Arrangements for Kate have been entrusted to the College Park Chapel of Armes-Hunt Life Celebration Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 4601 South Western Avenue, Marion, Indiana 46953.

A graveside service will take place on Tuesday, November 10, 2026, at Knox Chapel Cemetery (located at the intersection of W. County Road 1000 S. and County Road 700 W.), at 1:00 PM with Pastor Matthew Trexler officiating, military honors provided by US Navy and American Legion Post 317 Greentown, Indiana