David Kyle Kempker, beloved husband of Rhonda Raylene Norcross Kempker and much loved Dad to Ella, Grayson, and Violet, passed away unexpectedly at the age of 53 on March 17, 2024. Kyle was born on August 21, 1970, in Clinton, Missouri. Kyle attended Holy Rosary School in Clinton through 8th grade and was a 1988 graduate of Clinton High School. Kyle was actively involved in Boy Scouts, attending Philmont Scout Camp in 1986, and attained the rank of Eagle Scout. During high school, Kyle played tennis and ran cross country and track, the beginning of a life-long dedication to running. Kyle was a competitive swimmer and swim coach during the summers. In his hometown, Kyle spent a lot of time on the Clinton square, walking there from his Dad’s office to get a hot dog and chocolate shake at Diamond Drug, cruising the square on the weekend with friends or Rhonda, and infamously rocking for 52 hours and earning a 4th place finish in the Clinton Sesquicentennial Rocking Chair Marathon, showing a penchant for endurance that served him well later in life as a marathon runner. Kyle earned an Associate’s Degree in Computer Aided Drafting and Design in 1991 from Missouri Southern State University in Joplin, Missouri. He then obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Film in1993 from Central Missouri State University in Warrensburg, Missouri.
Kyle met Rhonda in high school and started dating her at age 16. During college, Kyle and Rhonda stayed together, even when attending different schools, and ended up in the same place for good when Kyle moved to Kansas City, Missouri, to begin his film career while Rhonda was in law school. On December 30, 1995, at age 25, Kyle married Rhonda Raylene Norcross, age 24. Kyle and Rhonda lived the early years after marriage in the Waldo area of Kansas City. Kyle and Rhonda had three children, Ella, Grayson, and Violet and moved to Olathe, Kansas, in 2001, shortly after Ella was born. They raised their kids on Summit Street in Parkwood Hills, alongside a great group of neighbors. Kyle was frequently around the house, hosting and joking around with the kids and their friends, throwing birthday parties, and building bonds that turned schoolmates and neighbors into life-long relationships. In 2011, Kyle and Rhonda moved a short distance to the next neighborhood over, near running trails where Kyle logged thousands of miles, and backing up to a park, creek, and lake where Kyle and the family spent many hours together. The kids grew into teenagers and young adults and Kyle was the Dad who was always there, including putting his career on hold for several years to stay at home with the kids. Kyle was renowned for making Friday night pizza for any and everyone who showed up and for teasing and joking with the teenagers, sometimes even heartwarmingly acting a little like one himself. Kyle was always ready to talk about pop culture, movies, and music and could lighten the spirit in any room, especially with his quick wit or a joke. Kyle was a Cub Scout leader for Grayson’s troop, wrangling kids through meetings and campouts and building Pinewood Derby cars. Kyle assisted with the Blue Valley West band and guard shows for Ella and Violet, especially as a props schlepper.
Kyle had a long career in the Kansas City film and video industry, beginning with an internship with Take 2 Productions in 1994. He started freelancing as a Production Assistant, working his way up to become a Production Coordinator and eventually a film and video Producer and Assistant Director. Kyle was on staff as an Executive Producer at Third Eye Productions from 2002 to 2008. Kyle had the opportunity to work on hundreds of commercials, print ad campaigns, and web-based media for national, regional, and local clients, including Wal-Mart, McDonald’s, Children’s Mercy, Price Chopper, Sonic, the Buckle, Hallmark, T-Mobile and Sprint, Build-A-Bear, Kansas Lottery, Missouri Lottery, Gordmans, and many more. Kyle was the one who made everything happen on a professional set. His colleagues remember him not only for being organized and calm under pressure at work, but also for his great sense of humor. Clients, advertising agency executives, and creatives loved Kyle for his easy-going style and approachability. Kyle always had interesting stories to share, including about being on set with iconic characters and celebrities ranging from Darth Vader and Chewbacca to Chiefs and Royals players. A recent highlight was working as Line Producer for a 2023 Wall Street Journal photo shoot with a Chiefs player who garnered enough attention that Kyle experienced preventing paparazzi from gaining access to the set, alongside his daughter Ella who was on the shoot as a Production Assistant, the position in which Kyle started his career.
Kyle was a strong, competitive runner throughout his life, finishing in more than 50 events total. Kyle completed 4 marathons, qualifying for Boston during the Chicago Marathon in 2010, and most recently running the Disney World Marathon in 2022. He ran 23 half-marathons. He completed the Heartland 39.3 Series in 2013, 2014, and 2015. Kyle completed more than 10 triathlons, combining his love for swimming with running. He also ran many 10Ks and 5Ks, and organized teams for the Brew to Brew relay.
Kyle was a talented artist and, sparked by a stint at Johnson County Community College, began crafting wood sculptures mixed with metals at the college and in his garage workshop. He created many striking pieces from plywood, a medium symbolic for its ordinary function of being covered up or even discarded, with a grain and beauty that could be coaxed out from the wood underneath. Kyle admired the imagery of wood and trees, and all the things a tree can represent in our lives.
Kyle was an adventurous free-spirit who enjoyed traveling, hiking, and being outdoors. In 1991, he adventured around Europe with friends. Work took Kyle to many locations as well. For 20 years, Kyle regularly vacationed with Rhonda and the kids at Rocky Mountain National Park. Kyle initially carried Ella, Grayson, and Violet in hiking backpacks until they took to hiking on their own two feet. Hiking trips continued until the kids became young adults walking the same trails side-by-side with him where he once carried them. The family eventually summited Twin Sisters in 2022. Kyle enjoyed many trips with family and friends with favorites being Hawaii, Cozumel, Colorado, New York City, Disney World, California, and Branson. He also took time out for roads trips and side adventures with each of the kids. At Custer State Park in South Dakota, Kyle and Violet took an early morning hike together when both of them had energy that the rest of us were lacking. Kyle made a long road trip with Ella, moving her halfway across the country after a semester at the Disney College Program in Orlando. Recently, Kyle returned from a Spring Break trip with Grayson to Zion National Park and Antelope Canyon, where they hiked and kayaked through canyons and forged through a blizzard while listening to hours of music in the car.
The extended family has great memories of Kyle, spending time outdoors at the Norcross Farm, beginning from the time he was a teenager. Kyle was always up for tackling a chore, hopping on a 4-wheeler ride, or helping with finish work on a cabin for the extended family. He was there for holidays, including the 4th of July, where he was known for his annual less-than-graceful, but hilarious, lighting and release of a sky lantern where we always questioned what might go up in flames.
Kyle was active in church. He was raised as a member of Holy Rosary Catholic Church in Clinton, Missouri, was a member of Red Bridge United Methodist Church in Kansas City, Missouri, from 1996 through 2004, and has been a member of Grace United Methodist Church in Olathe, Kansas, from 2004 to the present. Kyle was an active youth group leader at both Red Bridge and Grace, including traveling with the youth on mission trips, touching the lives of many with his personality and ability to connect with others. Steps of Faith, a small group from Grace, was an integral part of Kyle and Rhonda’s life for many years.
Kyle is survived by his wife of 28 years, Rhonda Raylene Norcross Kempker, his daughter Ella Jean Kempker, his son Grayson David Kempker, and his daughter Violet Olivia Kempker. He is also survived by his mother-in-law Donna Norcross, his sister-in-law Amy Norcross Wareham and brother-in-law Ryan Wareham, as well as his nephews Gavin and Corbin Wareham and extended Norcross and Hager family. Kyle is survived by his parents, David and Donna Kempker, sister Debbie Boeth and spouse Rick, sister Dana Poepsel and spouse Jack, niece and nephew Stephanie Willis and Nick Boeth, and many extended family members. He was preceded in death by his grandmother, Clara Velma (Chrisco) Siegrist, and his father-in-law, Wayne Norcross.
Kyle loved deeply and was loved by many in return. Kyle will be profoundly missed by Rhonda. The two of them were tennis partners, enjoyed painting and designing rooms in the house together, spent date nights at restaurants, concerts, or at a bed and breakfast, enjoyed hanging out with and hosting their circle of friends, spent hours taking walks, and enjoyed stolen moments at home together playing cards or talking late into the night after the kids were in bed. We loved Kyle because he was outwardly happy, made us laugh, had an infectious smile and friendly brown eyes, was the life of the party, and was the first to ask how you were doing and the last to leave any gathering. Kyle will also be deeply missed by many friends, the kids’ friends, his church family, neighbors, and the Kansas City film and video community.
The family suggests contributions to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, via a memorial page for Kyle, located at: https://supporting.afsp.org/campaign/Kyle-Kempker-s-Memorial -Fund. Contributions may be made on GoFundMe, via the Kempker Family Memorial Fund, for the educational and other needs of Kyle’s children as they grieve, heal, and begin to rebuild their lives, or by check to Bradley and Hadley Funeral Home, 1410 DZF Road, Clinton, MO 64735.
Kyle’s memorial service will be at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, April 20, at Grace United Methodist Church, 11485 South Ridgeview Road, in Olathe, Kansas. Rhonda, Grayson, Ella, and Violet will receive friends from 12:30-2:00 p.m. Following the service, we are holding a reception from 3:00-5:00 p.m., also at the church. All are invited to celebrate Kyle’s life through fellowship. Come ready to share your stories and memories. We will have a video highlighting his life and favorite music. The youth room will be open for pool, ping-pong, and foosball and the lawn will be set up with 9-Square and outdoor games as requested by Kyle’s kids to honor their Dad’s fun-loving spirit.
