Dolores Dee Kempel

Dolores Dee Kempel, 85, died June 19, 2009 after a short illness.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Karl K. and Caroline M. DeVoe Kempel, and her sister, Kathryn Kempel Harris.

Born and raised in Akron, Dee graduated from St. Vincent High School and attended The University of Akron before beginning a lifelong career of service to her country with the Foreign Service Department of the U.S. Department of State. Her career as a Foreign Service Officer spanned four decades, and she was stationed in various locations both abroad and in the U.S., including extended assignments in Buenos Aires Argentina and Washington, D.C. Even in retirement, Dee remained active with the Foreign Service Officers Association and regularly attended the national meetings in Washington.

Upon retirement, Dee returned to the Akron area to reside. She and sister, Joan renovated and expanded their beloved family cottage on Portage Lakes, making it into a year-round home. In 1898, their grandfather, Charles A. Kempel, purchased the Turkeyfoot Lake property and later built a summer cottage. In the early 1950's, their father constructed one of the first year-round residences on the lake. During their youth, the family spent every summer at the lake and the house was the site of many family gatherings. Dee loved to swim, fish, boat and canoe and through these experiences she gained a deeply felt and lifelong appreciation for the wonder, beauty and splendor of nature, wildlife and all of God's creation.

Their life at the lake provided many wonderful and fond memories about which Dee loved to reminisce. She knew a great deal about the area's history and relished telling stories and sharing her pictures and memories.

Dee loved to travel and her journeys took her to every world continent and all parts of the globe, including trips to Antarctica, Africa and Australia. She enjoyed playing bridge and bowling and she was an active member of a number of weekly bridge clubs and bowling leagues. Dee was a member, and served as an officer of many organizations, including the U.S. Foreign Service Officers Association, the Portage Lakes Historical Society, the Point Comfort Association and numerous others. She was also a member of St. Francis DeSales Catholic Church.

She is survived by her sister, Joan Kempel; nieces, Vicki Stanford Storey of Laguna Niguel, Calif., Maureen Stephen Cheheyl of Concord, Mass., Debbie Bruce Webster of Silver Spring, Md.; nephew, Dr. William Sandy Harris of Silver Spring, Md.; six great neices and nephews, three great-great-neices and nephews, numerous friends, and their beloved Bassett, Snoopy.

Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10 a.m. Monday at St. Francis DeSales Catholic Church, 4019 Manchester Rd., with Fr. David Bline officiating. Friends may call at the Billow LAKES Chapel, 472 W. Turkeyfoot Lake Rd. Rt. 619 Today 1 to 3 p.m. Memorial may be made in Dee's honor to the Humane Society of Greater Akron, 4904 Quick Rd., Peninsula, OH 44264-9704.