Audrey Kemkes

Audrey Kemkes of Laurel passed away on June 17. She passed peacefully after a long battle with a terminal illness.

Audrey was born in Minnesota in 1939 to Sidney and Wilhelmina Goetze. The youngest of five sisters, she grew up in Carver, a small farm community along the Minnesota River. She enjoyed the presence of her extended family, and true to her small-town roots, she cultivated many lifelong friendships and bonds. While attending high school in neighboring Chaska, she began dating her future husband, John Kemkes.

Audrey and John were married in 1959, at which time she moved to Maine, where he was serving in the military. While there, she developed an affinity for Maine's coast and seaside communities, locales to which they would return years later to visit. Also, during that time, they welcomed the first of their three sons, Brian. After John concluded his service, they returned to Minnesota, and shortly thereafter they welcomed their second son, David.

In 1970, Audrey and John moved to Billings. A few months prior, their third son, Frank, had been born. Audrey took pride in being a homemaker, and she always sought to create a festive atmosphere for holidays and special events. She was especially proud to have always been home for her children when they returned from school. During this period of her life, she also loved going camping with her family. In 1980 they moved to Laurel, and Audrey once again embraced her small-town community. For years, she was an active congregant at Our Savior's Lutheran Church, and she participated in the Laurel Garden Club, Silver Crowns, Red Hat Society chapters in both Laurel and Billings, and later she became a regular at the Laurel Senior Center. She enjoyed gardening, bird watching, volunteer activities, and she was an avid decorator in the community and her church.

Audrey was preceded in death by her parents, three of her sisters, and her husband of fifty-nine years, John. She is survived by her three sons, Brian (Paula), David (Rita), and Frank (Melissa); her five grandchildren; and her two great-grandchildren. She is also survived by one of her sisters, Arleen, as well as nieces and nephews.

A memorial service is scheduled for 10 AM, Wednesday, August 7 at Our Savior's Lutheran Church in Laurel. The service will be followed by a luncheon at the church, and, later, there will be a short ceremony at 1 PM at the National Cemetery in Laurel, where she will be interred with her husband. In place of flowers, memorial donations can be made to the Laurel Senior Center or Our Savior's Lutheran Church.