John Hugh Stempel's Obituary
Obituary for John Hugh Stempel
John Hugh Stempel was born in Lincoln, Nebraska on June 14, 1927 to Wolter A. and Ruth Margaret Chapman Stempel. The family moved to Dallas in the late 1930?s where Hugh graduated from Highland Park High School. In September 2010 he attended his 66th high school reunion in Dallas. After high school he attended the Merchant Marine Academy in Pas Christian, MS served on active duty in World War II from April 1944 until December 1945 and then began over a quarter century of military duty in the United States Naval Reserve, retiring as a Lieutenant Commander.
Like many Americans involved in World War II, Mr. Stempel attended college after the war?s end and received his Bachelor of Industrial Engineering degree, with honors, in June 1950 from Georgia Tech University. He was proud to be a Rambling Wreck from Georgia Tech as well as president of his fraternity, Delta Sigma Phi.
Upon returning to Dallas after college graduation Hugh married JoAnn Swygard on June 24, 1950. They spent their first year together in Detroit before heading back to Texas and joining the family-owned business, Stempel Manufacturing Company, in 1951. He became president of the company upon the death of his father in 1968 and oversaw the relocation of the office products manufacturing company to Coleman Texas, in 1971. Mr. Stempel would guide the company as Chairman of the Board until he and JoAnn retired to Longview in 1997 to be near their daughter, Susan, and four grandchildren.
While in Coleman, Hugh was very active in the community as President of the Chamber of Commerce, and Hospital Board, Rotary Club and Paul Harris Fellow and as mayor from 1975-1989. As mayor, he was Vice President of the Texas Municipal League in 1988 and Chairman of The West Texas Council of Governments. He also enjoyed being a contributing editorialist for the Abilene Reporter News.
Hugh and Jo Ann Stempel traveled extensively in Europe and spent many wonderful times in Hawaii. He was proud of his German ancestry and traveled to Germany many times to trace his family tree, most recently when he took three generations of the family to Germany, Austria and Italy in December 2007. Popi and Gaki?s as their grandchildren and all their friends called them favorite times though were spent with their family in Hot Springs and Lake DeGray relaxing and fishing and trying new places to eat. Hugh was an intelligent and very well read man and could discuss any subject well, at length, and those that knew him knew he loved to talk!
Mr. Stempel was preceded in death by his father, mother, stepmother who was really like his mom, Dorothy Wilson Stempel, two brothers, Joseph Maxwell and Wolter C. Stempel and by his beloved wife, JoAnn in 2006. Although Hugh suffered with adult diabetes, loss of sight, along with other related physical challenges he was determined to be independent and live in his own home, which he did, until his death on November 6, 2010.
Surviving him are his daughter and son-in-law, Susan and David Wilson of Longview, four grandchildren and spouses, Sarah M. and Tim Medin of Mankato, MN, John and Eunju-Lee Wilson of Vienna, Austria, Chris and Samantha Welch of Tyler and Mark Wilson of San Antonio, and two precious great grandsons, Mason John Wilson of Vienna, Austria and Clark David Medin of Mankato, MN.
Memorial services for Mr. Stempel will be held 10 AM, Thursday, November 11, 2010, Veterans Day, in the Ford Chapel of First Baptist Church with Dr. Rick Webb officiating. Burial, with full military honors, will be held prior to the service at Rosewood Park Cemetery. Family visitation will be from 6-8 in the evening, Wednesday, November 10, 2010. Rader Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.
The family requests memorials are made to Highway 80 Rescue Mission I Longview, Buckner International Missions or a charity of choice.
The family would like to express its heartfelt appreciation to Drs Alejandro Plan, Richard Hamer, and Bert Sharp for their compassionate care of Mr. Stempel over the past few years.
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