Carl Richard Kempton

Carl Richard Kempton passed away peacefully at home on Jan. 16, 2019, at the age of 76. Carl, a native Arizonian, was born in Morenci, AZ to Ordin and Catherine Kempton.

When he was 15 years old, he moved to Lupton where he lived with the Ortega’s.

Carl attended Sanders High School where he participated in all sports, with baseball being his favorite. Just after his graduation from Sanders High, Carl met and fell in love with Nancy Gorman. Being drafted into the Vietnam War in 1964 delayed Carl's and Nancy's plans to marry, but after a two-year stint, Carl was honorably discharged, returned to Arizona, and married the love of his life. They had a son, Kevin Kempton, who predeceases Carl. Carl developed a passion for sports – all sports – especially professional football. He never missed a major football game and remembered all the big plays; he could be counted on to recount the team, the play, the field and the date of any memorable football play. Enjoying all things athletic, Carl got into racquetball and even built an indoor racquetball court that he shared with his friends and let them use any time they cared to. Carl became interested in golf and, as with most every other sport he tried, he played very well and even won several tournaments. For the last forty years and up until a few days before he became sick, Carl played golf every week. He also had a great time hunting, fishing and traveling.

Carl will be remembered as an exceptional entrepreneur and a self-made businessman. He owned several stores along Arizona's Route 66, one of which is Geronimo Indian Store which he purchased in 1967 from Gilbert Ortega. He extensively renovated the site, and made improvements over the years, to include a very popular attraction known as the “world's largest petrified tree” which he had dug up from a gravel pit behind the store and “planted” in the parking lot. He was considered to have a wealth of knowledge about Native American art and jewelry and had a keen eye for recognizing items that were not authentic. People came from all over the world to Geronimo Indian Store, and Carl welcomed them all, sharing his many stories and helping them find exactly the right gift. Carl's celebrity isn't just in Arizona; he was renown in his own right. The El Rancho Hotel and Motel in Gallup, New Mexico named their rooms after movie stars – except for one room that is named “the Carl Kempton.”

Carl had a heart of gold, an incomparable sense of humor, a quick wit and a huge sense of adventure. He was a genuinely good person and a truly great friend. You felt like you were his best friend just a few moments after meeting him. To say Carl will be missed is an enormous understatement because he not only leaves behind his wife Nancy and many family members, but literally hundreds of friends who loved him and are sad to see him go.

A Funeral Service will be held Saturday, January 26, 2019 at 11:00 A.M. at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, 8181 Westover St., Joseph City, AZ. There will be a viewing at 10:00 a.m.

All those that attend the services are invited to the luncheon afterward.