Doris Ann Kemna, 89 of Grimes formerly of Bancroft, went to her heavenly home on August 7, 2022. A funeral Mass will be held Friday, August 12, 2022, at 3:00 PM at Divine Mercy Parish ~ St. John’s Catholic Church in Bancroft. Private family graveside services will be held at St. John’s Catholic Cemetery. There will be a Celebration of Life Reception following at the Main Street Pub in Bancroft, which all are welcome to attend. The family will not greet friends prior to the Mass. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Doris Kemna Memorial Fund in care of her family.
Doris was born to Ferdinand and Viola (Kressin) Bierstedt on September 4, 1932, in Whittemore, Iowa. She grew up on the family farm in Fenton, attended St. John’s Lutheran Grade School, Fenton High School, and Hamilton College in Mason City. After graduation, she was a bookkeeper at Fairmont Production and Credit Association in Fairmont, MN.
She married Joe Kemna on May 9, 1954, in Armstrong, where they made their home. In 1955, they moved to Bancroft, where they started Kemna Motor Company and where she lived for 52 years. Doris loved raising her five children while also working at the family business. She truly enjoyed her work and conversing with their customers as well as her time on the family farm. After her husband Joe passed away in 1995, she continued working with Kemna Leasing until retiring at age 74. In 2007, she moved to Grimes.
Doris was a member of St. John’s Catholic Church and Altar Society in Bancroft and joined St. Mary’s of Nazareth Church in Des Moines after moving to Grimes. Doris was an active member of the Bancroft community as evidenced by being a cub scout leader, Bancroft centennial planning committee member and supporter of new business. Doris was always on the go and enjoyed women’s golf league, square dancing and international travel with Joe, camping with family and friends and playing cards whenever she had the opportunity. Her most favorite pastime was playing Skip-Bo with her children, grandchildren and great grandchildren and she was thankfully able to play Skip-Bo until her last days. Doris loved her children and was thrilled with the families they created. She was so very proud of their lifetime of accomplishments but what brought her the greatest joy was her grandchildren and great grandchildren. They have warm and heartfelt memories of visiting Doris in Arizona during the winter, hiking in the desert, reading them books, playing games and receiving the warmest hugs.
Doris is survived by her children, Ken and Vickie Kemna of Spirit Lake, Linda and Barry Koritza of Centennial, CO, Sandy and Doug Williams of South Sioux City, NE, Brenda and Mike Mickow of Rochester, MN, and Carol and Bob Fenton of Johnston; her grandchildren Carey and Amy Kemna, Chris Kemna, Eric and Molly Kemna, Jennifer and Sean Beasley, Trevor and Jaime Koritza, Sara Cornelius, Joshua Williams, Katy Williams, Tyler Fenton, and Derek Fenton; and seventeen great grandchildren.
Preceding her in death were her husband, Joe, in 1995, her parents, and her siblings Eldora Mitchell and Howard Bierstedt.
oakcrestfuneralservices.com
