Ruth Ann "Tootie" Kemper

Ruth Ann “Tootie” Kemper (nee Brue), age 76, of Independence, KY passed away peacefully on Tuesday, July 2, 2024. Tootie is the dear wife of Robert Kemper and was a teacher at Villa Madonna, St. Michael in Prior Lake, MN, and Holy Family School. She was the Loving mother of Chris Kemper (Jenna), and McKenzie Kemper. Loving grandma of Caroline, Claira, and Carson.Dear sister of Marie Shields (Ken).Tootie was recently referred to as “an angel on loan.” She was quick to smile, poke fun at herself, and brighten a stranger’s day with an uplifting comment or brief conversation.She was never bashful about speaking her voice, prayed the rosary every night, was bad with technology, loved to entertain, and had eclectic musical taste ranging from Toby Keith to Iron Butterfly.Without question, family came first for Tootie. Even when she, Bo and McKenzie lived in Minnesota for 19 years, she never forgot a birthday, First Communion or other celebration for her large extended family.This is also where her thoughtfulness was most on display, as she always went the extra mile to get the perfect gift.She adored her three grandchildren and loved seeing them perform on stage. Caroline, Claira and Carson have each had large parts in school shows, and she beamed with pride in each. She has a wall of their self-portraits hanging in her living room.Bo and Tootie had their 50 th wedding anniversary last July and marked it with a huge celebration and trip to St. Thomas, where they had their honeymoon. It was an amazing evening with family and friends. Sadly, Tootie passed just a few weeks short of their 51 st anniversary.As any family member knows, cooking and baking were Tootie’s love language. She was a foodie before it was a chic thing to do. She had an extensive collection of Southern Living cookbooks, and annually enjoyed paging through the new edition to select the best recipes. In the kitchen, she had the precision of a surgeon and the artistry of a sculptor.Of course, being a teacher, when she tried a new recipe, she would always ask for a grade.Straight As!Her homemade bread was legendary, and her baking was off the charts. Each family member was made a signature cake for their birthday – never from a box. Yellow with chocolate frosting, triple citrus, cheesecake and red velvet were a few of the crowd favorites. Just before she passed, she made a pound cake for Bo.She also enjoyed a fine dining experience, most notably at the Montgomery Inn Boathouse and any place that had a good filet mignon. When Bo and Tootie went to Charleston and Savannaha few years ago, the focal point was different must-try restaurants.While being a Mom and Wife was her vocation, being a Catholic school teacher was her ministry. She never looked at it as a job – and never worried about how much she made –because for her it was a calling.She spent many a scorching summer day working in an empty school building with the air conditioning turned off – or didn’t exist in the first place. She had a reputation with students as being tough, but countless times was named as a student’s favorite teacher. She positively influenced and touched the lives of thousands of young people both in Northern Kentucky and Minnesota.Several of Tootie’s hallmark qualities were her focus on faith, family, traditions and loyalty. She was compassionate, thoughtful, caring and had a lifelong zest for learning. She believed in the value of hard work, not taking the easy way out, and taking pride in a job well done.She will be greatly missed.Visitation will be held on Sunday, July 7, 2024 at Middendorf Funeral Home (3312 Madison Pike, Ft. Wright, KY 41017) from 1:00 -4:00 PM. Mass of Christian Burial will take place the following day, Monday, July 8, 2024 at St. Patrick Church (Taylor Mill, KY) at 11:00 AM with interment to follow at Mother of God Cemetery.Instead of Flowers the family has asked for memorial donations to: St. Patrick School 3285 Mills Road, Taylor Mill, KY 41015.