Dr. Wendell Walker Kempton, who served as President of the Association of Baptists for World Evangelism from 1971-2001, died at home in Lititz, PA, on Sunday, January 6, 2008, following a brief battle with cancer.

Dr. Kempton's ministry was worldwide, impacting lives not only through his three decades as ABWE President and his continued representation of the mission as President Emeritus following his retirement in 2001, but also through his many years of service at Baptist Bible College of Pennsylvania and his ministry to professional sports organizations across the United States.

Dr. Kempton received Christ at the age of nineteen in Saylorville, IA, following his graduation from high school.  At the time, he was facing a decision as to whether to go on to college or into professional baseball, in which he had received several attractive opportunities. On the advice of his pastor and spiritual mentor, he enrolled at Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, IL, earning a diploma with a Bible major and a missions minor.  He then attended Baptist Bible Seminary in Johnson City, NY, where he earned a Th.B., and Dallas Theological Seminary in Dallas, TX, where he earned a Th.M.  He also did additional graduate work at Syracuse University in Syracuse, NY. An honorary Doctor of Divinity degree was conferred upon him by Grand Rapids Baptist Seminary, Grand Rapids, MI, in 1972.

While attending Moody, Dr. Kempton met fellow student Karolyn Rose Koerber.  They married in 1956 and had three children (Mark, Stan, and Wendy). In 1980, Karolyn suddenly went home to be with the Lord. In 1982, Dr. Kempton married Ruth Royer, who also had three children (Jennifer, Amy, and Tim) and whose first husband, Lee "Rock" Royer, a football coach and evangelist, had died suddenly nearly a decade earlier in an airplane accident.

In the fall of 1961, Dr. Kempton accepted an invitation from Dr. G. Arthur Woolsey to become a member of the staff of Baptist Bible Seminary. He served the school as the director of Christian education, director of public relations, athletic director, and basketball coach and helped to found both the baseball and soccer teams. From 1968-1971, he served as the director of development and was instrumental in helping the college transition to its current campus in Clarks Summit, PA.  Later, in 1974, he was recognized as the Alumnus of the Year. During this time, Dr. Kempton was further honored by being nominated as Outstanding Young Man of America by the Outstanding Americans Foundation.

As ABWE's presidential search committee looked for a successor to Dr. Harold Commons, they considered Wendell Kempton's evangelistic fervor, his passion for preparing young adults to serve the Lord, and his outstanding leadership skills. On June 1, 1971, Dr. Kempton became President of ABWE, a position he would hold for the next thirty years. It was under Dr. Kempton's leadership that ABWE made its major move from the greater Philadelphia area to Harrisburg, PA, which involved relocating more than forty families, as well as the corporate offices. God marvelously provided more than twelve hundred volunteers from twenty-seven states and eight foreign countries to build the new International Administration and Training Center in Harrisburg. Dr. Kempton's ministry at ABWE included worldwide travel to encourage missionaries and nationals, to represent ABWE in churches and schools, and to develop a network of people interested in missions. During his presidency, the number of ABWE missionaries grew from 350 to 1,000 serving more than 60 countries. Following his retirement on March 1, 2001, and appointment as President Emeritus, he continued to actively represent ABWE through speaking engagements across the United States.

Dr. Kempton's extracurricular ministries included speaking to various professional sports teams, and he was invited to speak at three Super Bowls and a World Series. He also held weekly neighborhood outreach Bible studies. He served on the boards of several well-known organizations, including a nationally-known insurance company, Baptist Bible College of Pennsylvania, and Word of Life. Dr. Kempton traveled to every continent and spoke weekly throughout America in local churches, colleges, seminaries, and universities.

Dr. Kempton is survived by his wife, Ruth Royer Kempton, and their six married children:  Mark and Andrea Kempton of Audubon, NJ; Stan and Cynthia Kempton of Lakeville, MN; Mark and Wendy Flannery of Lakeville, MN; Jennifer and Bruce Vosburgh of Wilmington, DE; Amy and Greg Phillips of Rome, GA; and Tim and Amy Royer of Grandville, MI.  He is also survived by twenty grandchildren and his sister, Mardelle Cross of Urbandale, IA.

The funeral service will be held on Friday, January 11, 2008, at 2:00 pm, at Calvary Church, 1051 Landis Valley Road, Lancaster, PA 17601 ( www.calvarychurch.org ; 717.560-2341). A 4:00 pm reception with the family will follow the funeral.  Due to limited capacity in the church reception hall, please register online at www.abwe.org .

In lieu of flowers, the family has requested that memorial gifts be made to "ABWE" and mailed to PO Box 8585, Harrisburg, PA 17105, designated to the "Wendell Kempton Memorial Fund."  Gifts may also be made online at abwe.org, and are fully deductible for tax purposes as allowed by law.

Announcements regarding an additional memorial service for the worldwide missionary family of ABWE will be posted at a later date.

Funeral arrangements are under the care of the Charles F. Snyder Jr. Funeral Home and Chapel, 3110 Lititz Pike, Lititz, PA. To send online condolences, or to receive information, please visit www.snyderfuneralhome.com .