Julia Ruth Whatley Kemp, age 98, of Belton died Wednesday, June 11, 2008 in a local nursing home. Services will be held at 10 a.m. Friday, June 13 at First Baptist Church in Belton with Rev. Paul Kemp, Rev. Mark Kemp and Rev. Carroll Davis officiating. Burial will follow at Bellwood Memorial Park. Visitation will be 6-8 p.m. Thursday at Scanio-Harper Funeral Home.

A lifelong resident of Bell County, she was born December 5, 1909 to Benjamin Bowles and Johnnie Ruth (Shapard) Whately of Stringtown. She attended schools in Rockdale, her birthplace home of maternal grandparents, and Gindale where she was on Sisters Basketball Team. In 1926, she married Ernest Lee Kemp. They were members of Dyess Grove Baptist Church and later Immanuel Baptist Church in Temple and finally First Baptist Church in Belton. In Belton, she worked with School District Food Services for 20 years. She prepared Wednesday meals at First Baptist Church where she worked with children and was a member of Friendship Class and Golden Age. She was an honorary alumna of Mary Hardin-Baylor and a member of Belton and Salado Chapters of Daughters of the Republic of Texas.

She was preceded in death by her husband and three sisters. Survivors include one son, Leroy Kemp, four daughters, Doris, Joyce Betty Kemp and Carolyn Roberts, five grandchildren, 11 great grandchildren and one brother, Frank Whatley.

In Lieu of flowers, memorial tributes may be made to one’s favorite charity.