JOHN K. GEMPLER, 74, A  LIFELONG KENOZA LAKE  , NY RESIDENT, PASSED AWAY ON MARCH 17, 2016 AT HOME WITH HIS FAMILY.  HE WAS THE SON OF JOHN H. GEMPLER AND MARY KEERY GEMPLER AND WAS BORN IN CALLICOON ON AUGUST 12, 1942.
AFTER ATTENDING CORNELL UNIVERSITY HE ENTERED INTO DAIRY FARMING WITH HIS FARM LOCATED IN BETHEL,NY.
THERE, IN 1969 HE HAD THE HISTORY MAKING WOODSTOCK  CONCERTS IN HIS FRONT YARD. LEAVING THE FARMING BUSINESS HE BEGAN A NEW CAREER WITH THE CALLICOON COOPERATIVE INSURANCE COMPANY.  HE WAS FIRST ELECTED TO THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF THE COMPANY IN 1972 AND ASSUMED THE POSITION OF ASSISTANT
SECRETARY IN 1973.  IN 1985 HE WAS ELECTED TREASURER OF THE COMPANY AND HELD BOTH OFFICES UNTIL HIS RETIREMENT IN 2007 AFTER MANAGING THE COMPANY FOR THIRTY-ONE YEARS. UPON HIS RETIREMENT HE WAS ELECTED  ASSISTANT VICE-PRESIDENT AND  SINCE 2010  HAS SERVED AS PRESIDENT OF THE COMPANY.  JOHN WAS ALSO EXTREMELY ACTIVE IN THE INSURANCE INDUSTRY STATEWIDE SERVING AS THE PRESIDENT OF THE NEW YORK INSURANCE ALLIANCE IN 1986 AND WAS A MEMBER OF THE FINGER LAKES INSURANCE COUNCIL.
JOHN  HAS  BEEN A MEMBER OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS OF JEFF BANK FOR THIRTY-FIVE YEARS WHERE HE ALSO SERVED AS SECRETARY TO THE BOARD.
JOHN WAS A MEMBER/COMMITTEEMAN FOR THE CORNELL COOPERATIVE EXTENSION FOR OVER FORTY YEARS  AS WELL AS TREASURER OF THE KENOZA LAKE FIRE DISTRICT.  JOHN WAS A MEMBER OF THE AMERICAN BRITISH WHITE PARK ASSOCIATION, THE NEW YORK BEEF PRODUCERS ASSOCIATION AND THE PENNSYLVANIA LIVESTOCK ASSOCIATION.  HE WAS COMMITTED TO BEING AN ACTIVE MEMBER OF THE ASSOCIATIONS AND BUSINESSES HE WAS INVOLVED IN AND WAS VERY SUCCESSFUL.  HE ALWAYS MADE MANY FRIENDS IN ALL ASPECTS OF HIS BUSY LIFE.
JOHN IS SURVIVED BY HIS WIFE OF 40 YEARS, LORI, CHILDREN  SUSAN BODENSTEIN (DAVID) DAVID FITCH (ROBIN)
JOY FINN  (JAMES)  GRANDCHILDREN  JASON AND MICHAEL AHNSTROM, JIMMY AND ERIN FINN, TODD, JUSTIN AND KAITLYN FITCH,  GREAT-GRANDCHILDREN  RYAN AND MARCELLA AHNSTROM, TANNER, ALEXIS, HAILEY, HANNAH, HUNTER, ISABELLA AND T.J.FITCH.
Friends may call on Tuesday March22 ,2016 at Stewart-Murphy Funeral Home Jeffersonville, NY from 2to4 & 7to9 PM and also on Wednesday March 23  , 2016 from 9:00AM to 11:00AM A mass of Christian Burial will be held a St. Georges Church Jeffersonville at 12:00 Noon Father Ignatius Vu and Deacon John Riley will officiate. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions may be made to 4-H Youth Programs C/O Cornell Cooperative Extension of Sullivan County 64 Ferndal e-Loomis Road Liberty, NY 12754, or Hospice of Orange & Sullivan 800 Stony Brook  Court Newburgh, NY 12550 or to the charity of ones choice. Funeral arrangements have been entrusted to Stewart-Murphy Funeral Home Jeffersonville, NY 845-482-4280.

 

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