Marcella C. Holmes, 87, of Fort Madison, IA, passed away on Tuesday, January 4, 2011 at the West Point Care Center in West Point, IA. She was born on May 13, 1923 in West Point, IA to Joseph & Elizabeth (Rippenkroeger) Menke. She married Anton "Al" Kempker on June 10, 1941 in St. Paul, IA. He preceded her in death on December 13, 1976. She then married Francis E. Holmes on June 12, 1981 in Mesa, AZ. She was a member of Ss. Mary & Joseph Church and worked at Sheaffer Pen, IAAP and later as a CNA at Mesa Manor Senior Guest Home in Mesa, AZ.
Marcella is survived by: her husband: Francis Holmes of Fort Madison, IA; 5-daughters: Elizabeth (Jack) Finch of Sonora, CA, Patricia (Frank) Eid of Fort Madison, IA, Debbie (Chuck) Thompson of Montrose, IA, Mary Beth (Scott) Gillette of Fort Madison, IA & Peggy (Mark) Hirte of Wever, IA; 8-sons: David (Luci Martinez) Holmes of Fort Madison, IA, James (Brenda Boyer) Kempker of Fort Madison, IA, Bill (Denise) Kempker of Fort Madison, IA, Mike (Pam) Kempker of West Point, IA, Patrick (Margaret) Kempker of San Diego, CA, Tony (Denise) Kempker of West Point, IA, Shane (Amy) Gernhardt of Fort Madison, IA & Shawn Holmes of Fort Madison, IA; 86-grandchildren, great grandchildren & great great grandchildren and 11-brothers & sisters.
She was preceded in death by: her parents, First Husband, 2-daughters: Mary Kempker & Maurine Little, 2-sons: Gary & Donny Kempker, 1-grandson: Lee Jay Little, 2-brothers: David Menke & Robert (Peanuts) Menke & 1-sister: Doris Kempker.
Her body was cremated and as per her wishes she was buried on Sept. 17, 2011 in St. James Cemetery, St. Paul, Iowa, with her first husband Anton Aloysius "Al" Kemper who was uninterred from his place of burial in Mesa, Arizona, having died on Dec. 13, 1976.