Irene Joyce Kemis

July 05, 1923 - March 10, 2015

Irene Joyce Kemis Obituary (Age 91) Surrounded by many loved ones in Spokane, WA, Irene departed to be with her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on March 10, 2015. Irene was born on July 5, 1923 in Milaca, MN to Howard and Ethel Kemis. Farm living and a country school were her life until she was 14. She graduated from eighth grade in a class of 4 students. Early memories include: ?Rubber-necking on the wall phone to neighbor?s conversations, especially an engaged couple.? ?Every Saturday Mom killed a couple of chickens for Sunday dinner.? ?Saturday night baths ? Water heated on a wood range, took turns in the big round tub warmed by the living room stove.? Of her schoolhouse, Irene wrote: ?It was two classrooms, a cloakroom and a small library. The classrooms each had a large wood-burning stove (the only heat), blackboards, desks, teacher?s desk, large rolled up maps on the wall? Our ?bathroom? was two outhouses in the back, one for the boys and one for the girls.? When Irene was 14 years old, the family left the farm and moved to Fargo, ND where Irene joined 300 freshmen at Central High School, from which she graduated in 1942. Irene?s dad researched business schools, paid the tuition, and Irene was off to Fargo Business College. Irene wrote: ?This launched my career leading progressively to receptionist, steno pool participant, secretary, administrative assistant?Many years later I thanked my Dad for the gift of this training.? Early jobs were for Standard Brands, a Florist Shop, and WDAY radio station. Irene found the WDAY job the most interesting, writing: ?As receptionist I could watch from my desk as the local talent broadcasted live, including Peggy Lee.? Her younger sister Helen, who shared a room with Irene, recalls one night when Irene came home from work, got ready for bed, knelt to pray, and then started laughing. Helen asked Irene what she was laughing about. Irene responded: ?I started my prayer with: ?WDAY radio?! It was not all work and no play during the early 40?s. Irene enjoyed roller-skating, ice-skating, picnics in the park, summer camp experiences, overnight slumber parties, and youth nights with the youth group. In 1947 Irene moved to Minneapolis to attend Bethel Bible School for two years. She continued living in Minneapolis working for General Mills until 1950. Irene?s first lesson in God as Provider was an anonymous gift of $75 to cover her last term at Bethel. In 1950 Irene headed west to the Navigators headquarters in Pasadena, CA. She joined the Navigators staff and, along with several other women, lived in the Trotman home (the founder of the Navigators). The next stop for Irene was Washington DC where she worked with the Navigators as the secretary to the man in charge of Billy Graham Crusade follow-up, while also working at Senator Smather?s (FL) office. In 1952, Irene moved to the new Navigators headquarters in Glen Eyrie, CO where she worked as the secretary in the publication department and later as the secretary to the business manager. In 1956, Irene was invited to join the Germany staff as secretary to the man in charge of European military ministry at the U.S. Air Force Europe headquarters in Wiesbaden. So, Irene was off to Europe for three years! Irene?s apartment in Wiesbaden was ?4 flights up, no elevator, marble stairways. A bath had to be pre-ordered so that the landlord could heat the water.? In addition to her secretarial work, Irene and her colleagues helped the director of the Servicemen?s Center ?by preparing Sunday evening dinner, a constant coffee pot, and reaching out in weekly Bible studies for the WAFs.? After returning to the Navigator?s headquarters in Colorado, Irene was ?loaned out? to serve with Inter-Varsity Christian Fellowship as the executive secretary to the Missions Department, overseers of the Urbana Student Convention. She lived in Chicago and served in that capacity for most of the 60?s, and as such was involved in organizing three of the Urbana student missions conferences. Irene spent most of the 70?s in Denver, CO working for CA Norgen Co, and enjoying being near her brother Lyle and his family. In 1979 Irene moved to Spokane to be near her sister Helen and family. In 1980 Irene purchased her first and only house. After a period working at Spokane County Juvenile Court, Irene worked for Fourth Memorial Church and Faith Bible Church, retiring in 1993. Her old boss reports that she was ?always cheerful, and always in the midst of any joke being played. She was an amazing secretary who could take shorthand as fast as I could talk.? In 1998 Irene moved to Lilac Plaza where she blessed the community with her gentle spirit and love of the Lord. Irene loved studying the Bible, and was an active member of her Growth Group at Faith Bible Church. Six days before Irene went to heaven, she was seen working on her Growth Group Bible study on Romans! Irene is survived by her brothers Wesley Kemis (Luck, WI) and Lyle (Marie) Kemis (Westminster, CO), and sister Helen (Jim) Campbell (Spokane, WA), nephews and nieces Rick Kemis, Catherine Moritz, Nancy Toth, Stanford Campbell, Philip Campbell, and Pamela Takisaki, and many grand and great-grand nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her nephew Stewart Kemis. In Irene?s own words we learn what guided her life: ?When I was in my teens, I was known as a ?churchy? girl, since my family spent every Sunday there and I attended all young people's events. Though I was restless and unsure of myself, I was convinced I was an OK person. That is, until a friend showed a dramatic life change. She said she had turned her life over to Jesus Christ. We discussed what the Bible said about us. Everyone is a sinner - can't be connected to God (Romans 3:23), and God pronounced a death penalty on sin (Romans 6:23). But Jesus in love paid that penalty by dying on the cross. By His resurrection, He completed everything needed for me to have eternal life. I learned that I was not an all right person, and that the solution was receiving Jesus into my life. I deliberately approached God by praying and accepting Jesus and His new life, asking for forgiveness of my sins, and to help me live for Him. Now I enjoy His peace and settledness as I learn from Him through the Bible how to live His way. He helps me daily, gives me assurance of His strength and presence with me.? Irene was sweet, loving, gracious, intelligent, and had a wonderful sense of humor. She was a faithful pray-er and had a great knowledge of the Bible. Irene demonstrated those character qualities throughout her life as she served her Lord, and served those around her. A memorial service will be held at 1:00 pm March 23, 2015 at Faith Bible Church, 600 West Cora Ave. Donations may be made in memory of Irene Kemis to Wycliffe Bible Translators (PO Box 628200, Orlando FL 32862-8200) or Union Gospel Mission (PO Box 4066 Spokane, WA 99220).